Rule builder in a process control network

A computer implemented method of facilitating graphical construction of an analytic rule, comprising:

• storing on a non-transitory computer readable memory a plurality of rule component templates, including one or more data source templates defining data sources within a process plant, one or more functional templates defining logic determination operations to be performed using data from the process plant, and one or more output templates indicating actions to be performed in response to a logic determination operation;
• generating on a user interface device, using a computer processing device:
• a library region that displays graphical depictions of the rule component templates, including one or more data source templates, one or more functional templates, and one or more output templates;
• and
• a workflow region that receives and displays rule components based on user selections of the graphical depictions of one or more rule component templates, the rule components including at least one data source component, one functional component, and one output component;
• generating, in the workflow region on the user interface device, using a computer processing device, an interactive window for each of a set of rule components derived from the rule component templates in response to a selection by a user of each of the set of rule component templates;
• using the interactive window for each of the rule components to enable a user to define specific parameters of each of the rule components, including using, for the data source component, a data input interactive window including one or more user-definable parameters specifying a specific set of data from a specific data source to be retrieved for the analytic rule, using, for the functional component, one or more functional interactive windows including one or more user-definable parameters specifying one or more logical operations to be performed using the specific set of data from the specific data source, and using, for the output component, an output interactive window including user-definable parameters specifying an action to be taken associated with a determination made by the one or more logical operations;
• compiling on the computer system, the rule components including the user-defined parameters of each of the rule components, including the data source component, the functional component and the output component, into an executable analytic rule;
• and
• executing, on the computer processing device, the executable analytic rule.

A computer system for facilitating graphical construction of an analytic rule for use in analyzing data on-line in a process plant having process plant equipment that produces or stores on-line data, the computer system comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable memory that stores a plurality of rule component templates, including one or more data source templates defining data sources associated with the process plant equipment within the process plant, one or more functional templates defining logic determination operations to be performed using data from the process plant, and one or more output templates indicating actions to be performed in response to a logic determination operation;
• a configuration engine that operates on the computer system, including:
• an interface routine that generates, via a user interface device:
• a library region that displays graphical depictions of the rule component templates, including one or more data source templates, one or more functional templates, and one or more output templates, and
• a workflow region that receives and displays rule components based on user selections of the graphical depictions of one or more rule component templates, the rule components including at least one data source component, one functional component, and one output component;
• wherein the configuration engine operates to execute a graphical input routine to display an interactive window for each of a set of rule components derived from the rule component templates, wherein the interactive window for each of the rule components enables a user to define specific parameters of each of the rule components, such that the graphical input routine displays, for the data source component, a data input interactive window including one or more user-definable parameters specifying a specific set of data from a specific data source to be retrieved for the analytic rule, such that the graphical input routine displays, for the functional component, one or more functional interactive windows including one or more user-definable parameters specifying one or more logical operations to be performed using the specific set of data from the specific data source, and such that the graphical input routine displays, for the output component, an output interactive window including user-definable parameters specifying an action to be taken associated with a determination made by the one or more logical operations;
• a compiler that executes on the computer system to compile the rule components including the user-defined parameters of each of the rule components, including the data source component, the functional component and the output component, into an executable analytic rule;
• and
• a runtime engine coupled to the process plant equipment that executes on the computer system to execute the executable analytic rule to analyze on-line data from the process plant.