EP0575150A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for controlling window displays in an open systems windows environment
Assignee: Honeywell Inc
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Filing: 1993-06-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-06-15
Abstract
Abstract A process control system with an interface to foreign systems receives display information from the foreign systems and from the process control system for display in a windows format in response to control information from the interface, one of the windows being a control view. Control information and the control view are transmitted to first and second input channels respectively of the display generator unit. communication checks are made between the display generator unit and the interface apparatus. If an error is detected by either unit, the first input channel is disabled, and the control view is displayed on the entire screen of the display unit and controlled by the display generator unit, thereby guaranteeing the control view is always displayed and the integrity of the process control system is maintained.
Inventors
- 👤 Kevin P. Staggs
- 👤 Lawrence A. Clawson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:27
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/14; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
328 words
Apparatus for guaranteeing the integrity of a display of a process control system in an open system windows environment, wherein the process control system includes an interface apparatus to at least one foreign system, the interface apparatus receiving display information from the foreign system such that the display information from the foreign systems and the display information from a network of the process control system are displayed on a display unit of the process control system via a display generator unit in a windows format in response to control information from the interface apparatus, the apparatus characterised by: a) means to transmit the display information of the foreign systems to the display generator unit via a first input channel of the display generator unit; b) means to transmit the control information to the display generator unit via the first input channel to command a display format to the display generator unit of the display unit, said display format including a plurality of windows, one of said windows being a control view; c) means to transmit an alert command to the display generator unit; d) means to receive a response to the alert command indicating the display generator unit is operating correctly; e) means to proceed to the first step of this process; f) means to receive the display information of the process control system transmitted to the display generator unit via a second input channel of the display generator unit; g) means to receive the display and control information of the foreign systems transmitted to the display generator unit via the first input channel of the display generator unit; h) means to output the display information of the process control system and the foreign system to the display unit in the display format in accordance with the command information; i) means upon receipt of the alert command, to respond with an acknowledge command to the interface apparatus, thereby guaranteeing that the control of the display unit is operational.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the means to receive a response to the alert command comprises: a) means to wait for a response to the alert command from the display generator unit; b) during the wait: i) means, if the alert response is received within a first predetermined time period and if there is new display/control information to be transmitted, to proceed to transmit means (a) of Claim 1; ii) means, if the response is received within the first predetermined time period and there is no new display/control information to be transmitted, to proceed to transmit means (c) of Claim 1; iii) if the response is not received within the first predetermined time period: 1) means to transmit an error message to the display generator unit; 2) means to cause the displays of the foreign systems to be removed via control information transmitted to the display generator unit; 3) means to zoom the control view such that the control view takes up the entire display of the display unit and no windows are displayed; and 4) means to disable the first input channel; and c) means to place the interface apparatus in an idle mode such that no display information is accepted by the interface apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
131 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the display generator unit comprises: a) means to wait for a command from the interface apparatus; b) means, if no command is received, to verify that a second predetermined time period has not transpired since receipt of a previous alert command; c) means, if a command is received, to determine if the command is an alert command; d) if the command is an alert command, i) means to transmit a response back to the interface unit; ii) means to reset a timer which indicates the start of a running time period used to compare against the second predetermined time period; iii) means to start the timer; and e) if the command is not an alert command, means to process the command.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, characterised by means, after the receipt of a command, to verify that a second predetermined time period has not transpired since receipt of a previous alert command.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus according to any preceding Claim characterised by means, after each step of verifying if the second predetermined time has expired, to transmit a message to the interface apparatus indicating no further inputs will be accepted, thereby effectively disabling the first input channel and causing the display to zoom the control view such that the control view takes up the entire display of the display unit and no windows are displayed, thus keeping only the second input channel active, thereby presenting the foreign systems and the associated interface apparatus from undermining the integrity of the process control system and guaranteeing that the control view of the process control system is maintained.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, characterised by means, prior to transmitting the display information of the foreign system to the display generator unit via a first input channel, to check the validity of the first and second input channels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to Claim 6, characterised in that the checking means comprises means to verify the validity of predetermined locations of a memory shared by the interface apparatus and the process control system and means, if the verification is valid, to process normally, otherwise, to proceed to transmit means of step b, iii, 2 of Claim 2.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
331 words
A method of guaranteeing the integrity of a display of a process control system in an open system windows environment, wherein the process control system includes an interface apparatus to at least one foreign system, the interface apparatus receiving display information from the foreign system such that the display information from the foreign systems and the display information from a network of the process control system are displayed on a display unit of the process control system via a display generator unit in a windows format in response to control information from the interface apparatus, the method characterised by the steps of: by the interface apparatus: a) transmitting the display information of the foreign systems to the display generator unit via a first input channel of the display generator unit; b) transmitting the control information to the display generator unit via the first input channel to command a display format to the display generator unit of the display unit, said display format including a plurality of windows, one of said windows being a control view; c) transmitting an alert command to the display generator unit; d) receiving a response to the alert command indicating the display generator unit is operating correctly; and e) proceeding to the first step of this process: and by the display generator unit: f) receiving the display information of the process control system transmitted to the display generator unit via a second input channel of the display generator unit; g) receiving the display and control information of the foreign systems transmitted to the display generator unit via the first input channel of the display generator unit; h) outputting the display information of the process control system and the foreign system to the display unit in the display format in accordance with the command information; i) upon receipt of the alert command, responding with an acknowledge command to the interface apparatus, thereby guaranteeing that the control of the display unit is operational; and j) proceeding to step (f).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
197 words
A method according to Claim 8, characterised in that the step of receiving a response to the alert command comprises the steps of: a) waiting for a response to the alert command from the display generator unit; b) during the wait: i) if the alert response is received within a first predetermined time period and if there is new display/control information to be transmitted, proceeding to step (a) of Claim 8; ii) if the response is received within the first predetermined time period and there is no new display/control information to be transmitted, means to proceeding to step (c) of Claim 8; iii) if the response is not received within the first predetermined time period: 1) transmitting an error message to the display generator unit; 2) causing the displays of the foreign systems to be removed via control information transmitted to the display generator unit; 3) zooming the control view such that the control view takes up the entire display of the display unit and no windows are displayed; and 4) disabling the first input channel; and c) placing the interface apparatus in an idle mode such that no display information is accepted by the interface apparatus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
134 words
A method according to Claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the steps of the display generator unit comprise the steps of: a) waiting for a command from the interface apparatus; b) if no command is received, verifying that a second predetermined time period has not transpired since receipt of a previous alert command; c) if a command is received, determining if the command is an alert command; d) if the command is an alert command, i) transmitting a response back to the interface unit; ii) resetting a timer which indicates the start of a running time period used to compare against the second predetermined time period; iii) starting the timer; and iv) proceeding to step (a); e) if the command is not an alert command, processing the command and proceeding to step (a).
Claim 11
Independent Claim
45 words
A method for guaranteeing the integrity of a process control system display according to any of Claims 8 to 10 characterised by, after the receipt of a command, verifying that a second predetermined time period has not transpired since receipt of a previous alert command.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
115 words
A method according to any of Claims 8 to 11 characterised by, after each step of verifying, if the second predetermined time has expired, (a) transmitting a message to the interface apparatus indicating no further inputs will be accepted, thereby effectively disabling the first input channel: and (b) causing the display to zoom the control view such that the control view takes up the entire display of the display unit and no windows are displayed, thus keeping only the second input channel active, thereby presenting the foreign systems and the associated interface apparatus from undermining the integrity of the process control system and guaranteeing that the control view of the process control system is maintained.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
45 words
A method according to any of Claims 8 to 12 characterised by the step of, prior to transmitting the display information of the foreign system to the display generator unit via a first input channel, checking the validity of the first and second input channels.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method according to any of Claims 8 to 13 characterised in that the step of checking further comprises the steps of: a) verifying the validity of predetermined locations of a memory shared by the interface apparatus and the process control system and means, b) if the verification is valid, processing normally, otherwise, proceeding to step b, iii, 2 of Claim 9.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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