Operator station for manufacturing process control system

In an operator station for a manufacturing process control system including at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process, an apparatus for generating a display representing the current status of a selected SEQUENCE of the process, the apparatus comprising:

• logic for determining the current value of the critical success factor as a function of preselected parameters associated with the process;
• logic for determining the trailing average value of the critical success factor over a preselected period of time;
• and
• means for displaying graphic indicia of the critical success factor including,
• a circle divided into two contrasting shades forming a pie chart wherein the area of the pie defined by one of the shades is a function of the value of the critical success factor, and
• a radial line segment that indicates the value of the trailing average of the critical success factor.

An operator station for a manufacturing process control system including a network of at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process and a communications processing system for routing data from the process control computer to other authorized systems on the network, the operator station comprising:

• a communication link for two-way communication of process data between the operator station and the communications processing system;
• at least one display including,
• a SECTION display area including information relating to at least one of the SECTIONS of the process, the information including a SECTION indicator for at least one of the SECTIONS supervised by the operator station, the SECTION indicator comprising text identifying the SECTION by name and graphic indicia of the overall success of the SECTION, the graphic indicia including a circle divided into two contrasting shades forming a pie chart wherein the area of one of the shades varies in size as a function of the current condition of operation of the SECTION, and a radial line segment that indicates the trailing average of the condition of operation of the SECTION, and
• a SEQUENCE display area including information relating to one or more SEQUENCES of the process;
• a data input device for selecting one of the SECTIONS displayed in the SECTION display area;
• and
• logic for displaying information in the SEQUENCE display area corresponding to all of the SEQUENCES in the selected SECTION of the process.

An operator station for a manufacturing process control system including a network of at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process and a communications processing system for routing data from the process control computer to other authorized systems on the network, the operator station comprising:

• a communication link for two-way communication of process data between the operator station and the communications processing system;
• at least one display including,
• a SECTION display area including information relating to each of one or more SECTIONS of the process, the information including a SECTION indicator for each SECTION supervised by the operator station, the SECTION indicator comprising a text identifying the SECTION by name, graphic indicia representing the critical success factor symbol, graphic indicia representing the status of selected shutdown flags in the SECTION, graphic indicia representing the status of selected emergency flags in the SECTION, graphic indicia representing the status of selected alarms, and
• a SEQUENCE display area including information relating to one or more SEQUENCES of the process;
• a data input device for selecting one of the SECTIONS displayed in the SECTION display area;
• and
• logic for displaying information in the SEQUENCE display area corresponding to all of the SEQUENCES in the selected SECTION of the process.

An operator station for a manufacturing process control system including a network of at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process and a communications processing system for data from the process control computer to other authorized systems on the network, the operator station comprising:

• a communication link for two-way communication of process data between the operator station and the communications processing system;
• at least one display including,
• a SECTION display area including information relating to at least one of the SECTIONS of the process, and
• a SEQUENCE display area including information relating to one or more SEQUENCES of the process, the information including a SEQUENCE indicator for at least one of the SEQUENCES supervised by the operator station, the SEQUENCE indicator comprising text identifying the SEQUENCE by name and graphic indicia of the overall success of the SEQUENCE, the graphic indicia including a circle divided into two contrasting shades forming a pie chart wherein the area of one of the shades varies in size as a function of the current condition of operation of the SEQUENCE, and a radial line segment that indicates the trailing average of the condition of operation of the SEQUENCE;
• a data input device for selecting one of the SECTIONS displayed in the SECTION display area;
• and
• logic for displaying information in the SEQUENCE display area corresponding to all of the SEQUENCES in the selected SECTION of the process.

An operator station for a manufacturing process control system including a network of at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process and a communications processing system for routing data from the process control computer to other authorized systems on the network, the operator station comprising:

• a communication link for two-way communication of process data between the operator station and the communications processing system;
• at least one display including,
• a SECTION display area including information relating to at least one of the SECTIONS of the process, and
• a SEQUENCE display area including information relating to at least of the SEQUENCES of the process, the information including a SEQUENCE indicator for each SEQUENCE in a preselected one of the SECTIONS supervised by the operator station, the SEQUENCE indicator comprising text identifying the SEQUENCE by name, a status box symbol, a critical success factor indicator symbol, a shutdown flag symbol, an emergency flag symbol, a Min/Max alarm symbol, and an unacknowledged alarm attention symbol;
• a data input device for selecting one of the SECTIONS displayed in the SECTION display area;
• and
• logic for displaying information in the SEQUENCE display area corresponding to all of the SEQUENCES in the selected SECTION of the process.

An operator station for a manufacturing process control system including at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SECTION including at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process, the operator station comprising:

• a communication link for two-way communication of process data between the operator station and at least one of the process control computers;
• at least one display including,
• a first window defining a display area including information relating to at least one SECTION of the process, and wherein said information includes a SECTION indicator for at least one of the SECTIONS supervised by the operator station, the SECTION indicator comprising text identifying the SECTION by name and graphic indicia of the critical success factor representing overall success of the SECTION, the graphic indicia including a circle divided into two contrasting shades forming a pie chart wherein one of the shades defines a pie chart portion which varies in size as a function of the current value of the critical success factor, and a radial line segment that indicates the trailing average of the critical success factor;
• a second window defining a display area for displaying information relating to one or more SEQUENCES of the process;
• a data input device for selecting one of the SECTIONS displayed in the first window;
• and
• logic for displaying information in the second window corresponding to all of the SEQUENCES in the selected SECTION of the process.

An operator station for a manufacturing process control system including at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SECTION including at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process, the operator station comprising:

• a communication link for two-way communication of process data between the operator station and at least one of the process control computers;
• at least one display including,
• a first window defining a display area including information relating to at least one SECTION of the process, the information including a SECTION indicator for each SECTION supervised by the operator station, the SECTION indicator comprising text identifying the SECTION by name, a status box symbol, a critical success factor indicator symbol, a shutdown flag symbol, an emergency flag symbol, a Min/Max alarm symbol, and an unacknowledged alarm attention symbol, and
• a second window defining a display area for displaying information relating to one or more SEQUENCES of the process;
• a data input device for selecting one of the SECTIONS displayed in the first window;
• and
• logic for displaying information in the second window corresponding to all of the SEQUENCES in the selected SECTION of the process.

An operator station for a manufacturing process control system including at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SECTION including at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process, the operator station comprising:

• a communication link for two-way communication of process data between the operator station and at least one of the process control computers;
• at least one display including,
• a first window defining a display area including information relating to at least one SECTION of the process;
• a second window defining a display area for displaying information relating to one or more SEQUENCES of the process, and wherein the information includes a SEQUENCE indicator for at least one of the SEQUENCES supervised by the operator station, the SEQUENCE indicator comprising text identifying the SEQUENCE by name and graphic indicia of the critical success factor representing overall success of the SEQUENCE, the graphic indicia including a circle divided into two contrasting shades forming a pie chart wherein one of the shades varies in size as a function of the current value of the critical success factor, and a radial line segment that indicates the trailing average of the critical success factor;
• a data input device for selecting one of the SECTIONS displayed in the first window;
• and
• logic for displaying information in the second window corresponding to all of the SEQUENCES in the selected SECTION of the process.

An operator station for a manufacturing process control system including at least one dedicated process control computer for monitoring and controlling at least one SECTION including at least one SEQUENCE of the manufacturing process, the operator station comprising:

• a communication link for two-way communication of process data between the operator station and at least one of the process control computers;
• at least one display including,
• a first window defining a display area including information relating to at least one SECTION of the process;
• a second window defining a display area for displaying information relating to one or more SEQUENCES of the process, the information including a SEQUENCE indicator for each SEQUENCE in a selected SECTION supervised by the operator station, the SEQUENCE indicator comprising text identifying the SEQUENCE by name, a status box symbol, a critical success factor indicator symbol, a shutdown flag symbol, an emergency flag symbol, a Min/Max alarm symbol, and an unacknowledged alarm attention symbol;
• a data input device for selecting one of the SECTIONS displayed in the first window;
• and
• logic for displaying information in the second window corresponding to all of the SEQUENCES in the selected SECTION of the process.