State information handling in a process control system

A method for handling state information in a process control system, the process control system comprising a plurality of user terminals of users in the process control system and a state information handling server, the method comprising:

• operating, by the user terminals, in a local mode where a user can only see the own user operations,
• obtaining, by the state information handling server, state information from the user terminals, the state information of at least two users including information about user operations in relation to objects in a process control screen,
• inspecting, by the state information handling server, the state information with regard to objects in the process control screen, said inspecting is made when the user terminals are in the local mode and comprises determining, for each user, if the corresponding user targets an object in the process control screen, and
• performing, by the state information handling server, a user informing activity if objects in the process control screen that at least two users have targeted are same or are linked, wherein said performing the user informing activity includes:
• providing a warning to the user terminals of the at least two users in the local mode indicating that the targeted objects are same or are linked, and/or
• initiating a collaboration session in the user terminals of the at least two users, wherein the user terminals of the at least two users enter a collaboration mode where the at least two users are presented with user operations in a same screen.

A computer program product for handling state information in a process control system, the computer program product comprising non-transitory data storages with computer program instructions for execution by processors of user terminals, the user terminals being configured to operate in a local mode where a user can only see the own user operations, the computer program product further comprising a non-transitory data carrier with computer program code which when run in a processor of a state information handling server, causes the state information handling server to:

• obtain state information from the user terminals, the state information of at least two users including information about user operations in relation to objects in a process control screen,
• inspect the state information with regard to objects in the process control screen, said inspecting is made when the user terminals are in the local mode and comprises determining, for each user, if the corresponding user targets an object in the process control screen, and
• perform a user informing activity if objects in the process control screen that at least two users have targeted are same or are linked, wherein the user informing activity includes the state information handling server being caused to:
• provide a warning to the user terminals of the at least two users in the local mode indicating that the targeted objects are same or are linked, and/or
• initiate a collaboration session in the user terminals of the at least two users, wherein the user terminals of the at least two users enter a collaboration mode where the at least two users are presented with user operations in a same screen.