Method and apparatus for seamless state transfer between user interface devices in a mobile control room

A system for operating a process control plant, the system comprising:

• a unitary, logical data storage area including one or more data storage devices configured to store, using a common format, process data corresponding to the process control plant, the process plant including at least one field device and the process data including multiple types of process data selected from configuration data, measurement data, batch data, continuous data, and event data;
• a server coupled to the unitary, logical data storage area and operable to provide one or more functions related to the process data stored on the data storage area through one or more user interfaces;
• a first user interface device communicatively coupled to the server and operable, via the server, to access the process data, the first user interface device maintaining on the server state information of a first user interface indicative of a state of the first user interface executing and displayed on the first user interface device, wherein the state information indicative of the state of the first user interface executing and displayed on the first user interface device is maintained periodically or in response to a triggering event, wherein the state information represents a configuration of graphics displayed on a first display of the first user interface device as captured for the first user interface device at a first time, and wherein the first user interface device executes code or one or more routines for the configuration of graphics displayed on the first display, and wherein the state information indicates code or one or more routines corresponding to the displayed graphics;
• and
• a second user interface device communicatively coupled to the server and operable, via the server, to access each of (1) the process data corresponding to the process control plant and (2) the first state information of the first user interface, in response to a state information transfer request requesting the state information of the first user interface, and the second user interface device further operable to execute and display a second user interface on the second user interface device in accordance with the state information indicative of the state of the first user interface executing on the first user interface device, wherein the second user interface is executed having a same configuration of graphics as the first user interface based on the state information as captured for the first user interface at the first time, and wherein the second user interface device executes code for display of the same configuration of graphics on a second display of the second user interface device at a second time.