System management user interface providing user access to status information for process control system equipment
View Patent ↗A system management human-machine interface application for use in a process control system is described here that enables users to view/monitor information regarding system status and performance and to initiate changes to the operation of system equipment, checkpoint control stations and execute diagnostics. A system management graphical user interface includes a number of features that address the accessibility of system status information to users. Such features include rendering selectable diagnostic information (e.g. online/offline status) on system component navigation view. The GUI also provides access to a variety of system information including: alarms, messages, watched system management parameters, and a legend for symbols displayed in a system management navigation tree. Other features include: a search function for locating a device in the system to render detailed information, a navigation tree that displays equipment status via icons, and propagating fault statuses up to a highest level of the navigation tree.
1. A workstation including a computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for presenting a system management human-machine interface (HMI) including a multi-paned human-machine interface window on a display, the workstation executing the computer-executable instructions to simultaneously present, within the multi-paned human-machine interface window:
a navigation pane graphically displaying a hierarchical tree including nodes corresponding to control system equipment;
a component-specific information area providing detailed information corresponding to a selected node on the navigation pane hierarchical tree wherein the detailed information includes diagnostic information; and
an accessories pane providing a user-designated particular type of information corresponding to a set of components represented on the navigation pane.
2. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the component-specific information area comprises multiple display modes corresponding to particular groups of component-specific information displayed.
3. The workstation of claim 2 wherein the multiple display modes include a general information mode wherein the component-specific information area displays detailed status and configuration information for a selected piece of equipment.
4. The workstation of claim 2 wherein the multiple display modes include a counters mode wherein the component-specific information area displays, for each one of a set selectable network counter categories, network communications protocol layer-related counter value sets.
5. The workstation of claim 2 wherein the multiple display modes include a connections mode wherein the component-specific information area displays a set of connections between the selected component and other system components and the status of the connections.
6. The workstation of claim 1 wherein the accessories pane comprises a set of controls for designating one of a set of supported accessory functions.
7. The workstation of claim 1 wherein status indicators are presented proximate nodes on the hierarchical tree indicating a status of a corresponding piece of control system equipment.
8. The workstation of claim 7 wherein the multi-paned human-machine interface window supports propagation of status information up the hierarchical tree.
9. The workstation of claim 1 further comprising computer-executable instructions for providing a process control system equipment data handler that communicates with system management data sources to support the presentation of information within the component-specific information area.
10. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for presenting, on a workstation, a system management human-machine interface (HMI) including a multi-paned human-machine interface window on a display, the computer-executable instructions facilitating performing on the workstation the following steps:
presenting a navigation pane graphically displaying a hierarchical tree including nodes corresponding to control system equipment;
presenting a component-specific information area providing detailed information corresponding to a selected node on the navigation pane hierarchical tree wherein the detailed information includes diagnostic information; and
presenting an accessories pane providing a user-designated particular type of information corresponding to a set of components represented on the navigation pane,
wherein the navigation pane, component-specific information area and the accessories pane are simultaneously presented by the workstation, within the multi-paned human-machine interface window.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the component-specific information area comprises multiple display modes corresponding to particular groups of component-specific information displayed.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the multiple display modes include a general information mode wherein the component-specific information area displays detailed status and configuration information for a selected piece of equipment.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the multiple display modes include a counters mode wherein the component-specific information area displays, for each one of a set selectable network counter categories, network communications protocol layer-related counter value sets.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the multiple display modes include a connections mode wherein the component-specific information area displays a set of connections between the selected component and other system components and the status of the connections.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the accessories pane comprises a set of controls for designating one of a set of supported accessory functions.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein status indicators are presented proximate nodes on the hierarchical tree indicating a status of a corresponding piece of control system equipment.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the multi-paned human-machine interface window supports propagation of status information up the hierarchical tree.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising computer-executable instructions for providing a process control system equipment data handler that communicates with system management data sources to support the presentation of information within the component-specific information area.
19. A method for presenting, on a workstation display, a system management human-machine interface (HMI) including a multi-paned human-machine interface window, the method comprising the steps of:
presenting a navigation pane graphically displaying a hierarchical tree including nodes corresponding to control system equipment;
presenting a component-specific information area providing detailed information corresponding to a selected node on the navigation pane hierarchical tree wherein the detailed information includes diagnostic information; and
presenting an accessories pane providing a user-designated particular type of information corresponding to a set of components represented on the navigation pane,
wherein the navigation pane, component-specific information area and the accessories pane are simultaneously presented by the workstation, within the multi-paned human-machine interface window.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising presenting status indicators proximate nodes on the hierarchical tree indicating a status of a corresponding piece of control system equipment, and wherein the multi-paned human-machine interface window propagates status information up the hierarchical tree.