Method for initiating or resuming a mobile control session in a process plant

A server for initiating a user interface session for controlling a process plant, the server comprising:

• a network interface configured to communicate via a process control network for controlling the process plant;
• a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface;
• and
• a memory device communicatively coupled to the processor and comprising machine-readable instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
• receive via the network interface a session request to begin, at a first client device associated with a user, a user interface session for controlling the process plant;
• identify a target session associated with the session request, wherein the target session is a previously initiated session of the user on a second user interface device;
• determine a device type of the first client device from which the session request is received;
• identify a graphical user interface (GUI) configuration according to the device type and the identified target session;
• configure a new session according to the identified GUI configuration, wherein configuring a new session includes identifying a context associated with the session request and identifying, as session data, one or more of a process area, an equipment resource, or a set of process data monitored or controlled in the target session;
• and
• transmit, via the network interface, the session data associated with the new session such that the first client device may receive the session data and display, in accordance with the received session data and identified GUI configuration, information to facilitate controlling the process plant,
• wherein the session data associated with the new session include state data to place a dedicated process control application executing on the first client device into a state specified by the state data and wherein the session data further include data for display within the dedicated process control application.

A client device to facilitate controlling a process plant, the device comprising:

• an input interface;
• a processor communicatively coupled to the input interface;
• a display communicatively coupled to the processor;
• a network interface communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to communicate via a process control network for controlling the process plant;
• and
• a memory device communicatively coupled to the processor and comprising machine-readable instructions, executable by the processor, to cause the processor to:
• generate, according to user input detected via the input interface, a session request to begin a user interface session;
• transmit, via the network interface, a device type for the client device associated with a user;
• transmit, via the network interface, the session request;
• receive, via the network interface, session data associated with a new session according to a previously initiated session of the user on a user-interface device, the new session initiated based on the session request, wherein the session data includes one or more of a process area, an equipment resource, or a set of process data monitored or controlled in the new session;
• identify, based on the session data, information to facilitate controlling the process plant;
• display, via a graphical user interface (GUI) of a dedicated, process control application provided at the display, the identified information to facilitate controlling the process plant;
• and
• transmit a signal, via the network interface, to notify a server of a context for the client device.