Device home page for use in a device type manager providing graphical user interfaces for viewing and specifying field device parameters

1. A workstation including a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for providing a field device management utility including a generalized graphical user interface facilitating access to a variety of resources associated with selected device types, the field device management utility including computer-executable instructions for performing, on the workstation, the steps of:

providing information interfaces communicatively linking the field device management utility to a variety of data sources; and

providing a graphical user interface display that simultaneously displays a variety of information associated with a selected field device type, the graphical user interface display including:

a device identification information pane for displaying information provided by a device description file,

a links box for presenting user-selectable electronic data links to supplemental information resources, the supplemental information begin rendered in a viewing application launched in response to selection of a presented one of the electronic data links,

a screen selection control for exposing multiple user-selectable functional modes of operation of the field device management utility, and wherein each functional mode has a corresponding interface display, and

a graphics files pane identifying graphics files.

2. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the multiple functional modes of operation includes a system management mode.

3. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the multiple functional modes of operation includes a network management mode.

4. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the multiple functional modes of operation includes a diagnostics mode.

5. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the multiple functional modes of operation includes a security mode.

6. The workstation management utility of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface display further includes a comments box.

7. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the display screen provides status information for a device instance.

8. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the display screen provides access to a web page.

9. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface display includes a display box for rendering a graphical depiction of a selected device.

10. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the display screen provides access to a location of a device instance.

11. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the display screen provides access to product management documentation.

12. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the display screen provides access to product management videos.

13. A method for visually providing, by a computer system including a field device management utility, generalized access to a variety of resources associated with a selected field device type from a library of field device types, the method comprising:

providing information interfaces communicatively linking the field device management utility to a variety of data sources;

providing a graphical user interface display that simultaneously displays a variety of information associated with a selected field device type, the graphical user interface display including:

a device identification information pane for displaying information provided by a device description file,

a links box for presenting user-selectable electronic data links to supplemental information resources, the supplemental information being rendered in a viewing application launched in response to selection of a presented one of the electronic data links, and

a screen selection control for exposing multiple user-selectable functional modes of operation of the field device management utility, and wherein each functional mode has a corresponding interface display; and

providing, by the graphical user interface display, a graphics files pane identifying graphics files.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing, by the graphical user interface display, a comments box.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing, by the graphical user interface display, a display box for rendering a graphical depiction of a selected device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer executable instructions for visually providing, by a computer system including a field device management utility, generalized access to a variety of resources associated with a selected field device type from a library of field device types, the computer-executable instructions facilitating performing the steps of:

providing information interfaces communicatively linking the field device management utility to a variety of data sources;

providing a graphical user interface display that simultaneously displays a variety of information associated with a selected field device type, the graphical user interface display including:

a device identification information pane for displaying information provided by a device description file,

a links box for presenting user-selectable electronic data links to supplemental information resources, the supplemental information being rendered in a viewing application launched in response to selection of a presented one of the electronic data links, and

a screen selection control for exposing multiple user-selectable functional modes of operation of the field device management utility, and wherein each functional mode has a corresponding interface display; and

providing, by the graphical user interface display, a graphics files pane identifying graphics files.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 further comprising computer-executable instructions for providing, by the graphical user interface display, a display box for rendering a graphical depiction of a selected device.