Methods and apparatus for controlling object appearance in a process control configuration system

Apparatus for configuring a process control system, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of objects (“configurable” objects) each defining a configurable entity in any of (i) a controlled process, (ii) the process control system, (iii) a control level hierarchy, and (iv) the apparatus for configuring the control system, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,
• each configurable object being associated with one or more further objects (“appearance” objects) that identify an appearance of one or more types of configurable object in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,
• a plurality of objects (“placeholder type” objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,
• each configurable object being associated with one or more still further objects (“placeholder” objects), each identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in a selected one of a plurality of views in which that configurable object may be depicted, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for the associated configurable object for that selected view,
• logic that responds to a placeholder object by depicting the associated configurable object in accord with the appearance identified by associated appearance object and in accord with any of the location, size, color and other aspect thereof identified by associated placeholder object.

Apparatus for configuring a control system, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of objects (“configurable” objects) each defining a configurable entity, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,
• one or more objects (“appearance” objects) that identity an appearance of one or more types of configurable objects in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,
• a plurality of objects (“placeholder type” objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,
• a plurality of persistent documents representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a one of a plurality of selected views in which configurable objects may be depicted, the persistent document comprising
• one or more objects (“placeholder” objects), each placeholder object identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in the selected view to which that persistent document pertains, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for that respective configurable object identifying the appearance of that configurable object in that selected view,
• one or more connector graphics depicting relationships between configurable objects,
• logic that responds to a selected one of the persistent document by depicting configurable objects whose configuration is represented in that selected persistent document in accord with locations identified by placeholder objects included in that persistent document and with appearances identified by the respective appearance objects identified by those placeholder objects.

A method for configuring a control system, the method comprising:

• establishing a plurality of objects (“configurable” objects) each defining a configurable entity, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,
• establishing one or more objects (“appearance” objects) that identity an appearance of one or more types of configurable objects in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,
• a plurality of objects (“placeholder type” objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,
• defining a plurality of persistent documents, each representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a selected one of a plurality of views in which configurable objects may be depicted, the persistent document including one or more objects (“placeholder” objects), each placeholder object identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in the selected view to which that persistent document pertains, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for that respective configurable object defining the appearance of that configurable object in that selected view,
• invoking logic that responds to a selected one of the persistent documents by depicting configurable objects whose configuration is represented in that selected persistent document in accord with locations identified by placeholder objects included in that persistent document and with appearances identified by the respective appearance objects identified by those placeholder objects.

A method for configuring a process a control system, the method comprising:

• establishing a plurality of objects (“configurable” objects) each defining a configurable entity in any of (i) a controlled process, (ii) the process control system, (iii) a control level hierarchy, and (iv) the method for configuring the control system, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,
• associating each configurable object with one or more further types of objects (“appearance” objects) that identify an appearance of the associated configurable object in one or more views in which the configurable object may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,
• a plurality of objects (“placeholder type” objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,
• associated each configurable object with one or more still further objects (“placeholder” objects), each identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in a selected one of a plurality of views in which that configurable object may be depicted, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for the associated configurable object for that selected view,
• invoking logic that responds to a placeholder object by depicting the associated configurable object in accord with the appearance identified by associated appearance object and in accord with any of the location, size, color and other aspect thereof identified by associated placeholder object.

A method for configuring a control system, the method comprising:

• establishing a plurality of objects (“configurable” objects) each defining a configurable entity, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,
• establishing one or more objects (“appearance” objects) that identity an appearance of one or more types of configurable objects in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,
• a plurality of objects (“placeholder type” objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,
• defining a plurality of persistent documents representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a one of a plurality of selected views in which configurable objects may be depicted, the persistent document comprising
• one or more objects (“placeholder” objects), each placeholder object identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in the selected view to which that persistent document pertains, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for that respective configurable object identifying the appearance of that configurable object in that selected view,
• one or more connector graphics depicting relationships between configurable objects,
• invoking logic that responds to a selected one of the persistent documents by depicting configurable objects whose configuration is represented in that selected persistent document in accord with locations identified by placeholder objects included in that persistent document and with appearances identified by the respective appearance objects identified by those placeholder objects.