Alarm graphic editor with automatic update

• US 20040051739A1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Han, James, Schmickley, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/434,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20040051739A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/772
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/188 Data fusion; cooperative systems, e.g. voting among different detectors

Abstract

A method is used in a graphical display for displaying alarm indications in a system, the graphical display including hierarchical elements. The method includes storing a first set of identifiers associated with a graphic element, the graphic element including one or more child elements, a first child element including a second set of identifiers, the first set of identifiers including identifiers corresponding to at least each of the second set of identifiers. The method further includes receiving a command changing a status of the first child element, the changing of status changing a number of identifiers included in the second set. The method also includes automatically updating the first set of identifiers responsive to the command.

Claims

1. In a graphical display for displaying alarm indications in a system, the graphical display including hierarchical elements, a method comprising:

a) storing a first set of identifiers associated with a graphic element, the graphic element including one or more child elements, a first child element including a second set of identifiers, the set list of identifiers including identifiers corresponding to at least each of the second set of identifiers;

b) receiving a command changing a status of the first child element, the command changing a number of identifiers included in the second set; and

c) automatically updating the first set of identifiers responsive to the command.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

d) displaying graphical information corresponding to the graphic element;

e) obtaining an alarm associated with a first identifier; and

f) displaying a graphical indication of the alarm if the first identifier is associated with the first set of identifiers.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step d) further comprises displaying a selectable link graphical element corresponding to each of the one or more child elements.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic element is a child element of a parent graphic element;

and wherein step c) further comprises automatically updating a third set of identifiers responsive to the command, the third set of identifiers associated with the parent graphic element.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second set of identifiers comprises includes a single identifier associated with an alarm generating device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one child element further comprises a graphical control element, the graphical control element displaying a sensed value generated by a sensor device.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein in d) further comprises displaying graphical information corresponding to a plurality of graphic elements including the graphical element.

8. In a graphical display for displaying alarm indications in a system, the graphical display including hierarchical elements, a plurality of elements having at least one upstream element and at least one downstream element, a method comprising:

a) associating with each element alarm information associated with all downstream elements;

b) obtaining input defining a change in alarm information associated with a first element; and

c) automatically updating the alarm information associated with a second element upstream of the first element.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein c) further comprises automatically updating a third element upstream of the second element responsive to the obtained input.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein step b) further comprises changing an association between the first element and a child element downstream of the first element.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the first element is a graphic page, and wherein step b) further comprises changing a number of graphic-control elements on the graphic page, the graphic control elements each having an alarm link.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of the graphic control elements displays a sensed value generated by a sensor device.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein step b) further comprises adding alarm information and further comprising:

d) displaying a graphic associated with the second element;

e) obtaining an alarm condition corresponding to the added alarm information stored for the second element;

f) providing an indication of the alarm in the graphic associated with the second element.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein step b) further comprises removing alarm information and further comprising:

d) displaying a graphic associated with the second element;

e) obtaining an alarm condition corresponding to the removed alarm information;

f) providing no indication of the alarm in the graphic associated with the upstream element.

15. An system for displaying alarm indications in a system, the system employing hierarchical graphical display elements, the system comprising:

a) a display device operable to display hierarchical graphical display elements;

b) at least one storage device;

c) a processing circuit coupled to the display, the processing circuit operable to

store in the at least one storage device a first set of identifiers associated with a graphic element, the graphic element including one or more child elements, a first child element including a second set of identifiers, the set list of identifiers including identifiers corresponding to at least each of the second set of identifiers,

receive a command changing a status of the first child element, the changing of status changing a number of identifiers included in the second set, and

update the first set of identifiers responsive to the command.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is further operable to:

cause the display device to display graphical information corresponding to the graphic element;

obtain an alarm associated with a first identifier; and

cause the display device to display a graphical indication of the alarm if the first identifier is associated with the first set of identifiers.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing circuit is further operable to:

cause the display device to display a selectable link graphical element corresponding to each of the one or more child elements.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the graphic element is a child element of a parent graphic element;

and wherein the processing circuit is further operable to update a third set of identifiers responsive to the command, the third set of identifiers associated with the parent graphic element.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing circuit is further operable to cause the display device to display graphical information corresponding to a plurality of graphic elements including the graphical element.