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 plant, the process data including multiple types of process data selected from configuration data, measurement data, batch data, continuous data, and event data;
• a first user interface device communicatively coupled via a network to the unitary, logical data storage area and operable to execute one or more first routines, each first routine for performing a control function, an operation function, a configuration function, a maintenance function, a data analysis function, a management function, a quality control function, or a security function;
• and
• a second user interface device communicatively coupled via the network to the unitary, logical data storage area and operable to execute one or more second routines, each second routine corresponding to one of the first routines;
• wherein the first user interface device is operable to pass to the second user interface device state information indicative of one or more first routines operating on the first user device such that the second user interface device, upon receiving the state information, executes one or more of the second routines corresponding to one or more of the first routines operating on the first user interface device.