Overlay navigation in user interface

A method in a user interface, UI, for a process control system, the UI being configured to be displayed on an electronic visual display unit connectable to the process control system, the UI comprising a plurality of sub-UIs, each sub-UI being adapted to visually indicate at least a part of a process controlled by the process control system, the method for selectively displaying at least one of the plurality of sub-UIs on the display unit, the method comprising:

• at least momentarily displaying a selection sub-UI, different from each of said plurality of sub-UIs, comprising a plurality of visual representations, each of the plurality of visual representations corresponding to one of the plurality of sub-UIs, on the display unit at least partly superimposed on at least one of the plurality of sub-UIs;
• at least temporarily selecting at least one of the plurality of visual representations;
• in response to at least one of the plurality of visual representations having been at least temporarily selected, re-displaying the plurality of visual representations on the display unit such that the selected at least one of the plurality of visual representations is positioned within a predetermined region on the selection sub-UI while maintaining the arrangement of the plurality of visual representations relatively to each other as displayed on the display unit;
• and
• in response to the selection sub-UI having been deactivated, displaying the sub-UI corresponding to the selected at least one of the plurality of visual representations on the display unit;
• wherein the process control system is adapted to determine a hierarchy of the at least a part of a process visually indicated in each sub-UI, relatively to the respective at least a part of a process visually indicated in the other sub-UIs, in the process controlled by the process control system, the method further comprising:
• on basis of the determination by the process control system, displaying the selection sub-UI on the display unit superimposed on the UI such that the plurality of visual representations are displayed relatively to each other so as to indicate the hierarchy associated with the at least a part of a process of the respective sub-UIs;
• and
• wherein the selection sub-UI is adapted to, in response to being at least momentarily displayed on the display unit, display the plurality of visual representations on the display unit such that the plurality of visual representations are arranged in a tree structure when displayed on the display unit.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which there is stored a computer program product adapted to, when executed in a processor unit, perform a method in a user interface, UI, for a process control system, the UI being configured to be displayed on an electronic visual display unit connectable to the process control system, the UI comprising a plurality of sub-UIs, each sub-UI being adapted to visually indicate at least a part of a process controlled by the process control system, the method for selectively displaying at least one of the plurality of sub-UIs on the display unit, the method comprising:

• at least momentarily displaying a selection sub-UI, different from each of said plurality of sub-UIs, comprising a plurality of visual representations, each of the plurality of visual representations corresponding to one of the plurality of sub-UIs, on the display unit at least partly superimposed on at least one of the plurality of sub-UIs;
• at least temporarily selecting at least one of the plurality of visual representations;
• in response to at least one of the plurality of visual representations having been at least temporarily selected, re-displaying the plurality of visual representations on the display unit such that the selected at least one of the plurality of visual representations is positioned within a predetermined region on the selection sub-UI while maintaining the arrangement of the plurality of visual representations relatively to each other as displayed on the display unit;
• and
• in response to the selection sub-UI having been deactivated, displaying the sub-UI corresponding to the selected at least one of the plurality of visual representations on the display unit;
• wherein the process control system is adapted to determine a hierarchy of the at least a part of a process visually indicated in each sub-UI, relatively to the respective at least a part of a process visually indicated in the other sub-UIs, in the process controlled by the process control system, the method further comprising:
• on basis of the determination by the process control system, displaying the selection sub-UI on the display unit superimposed on the UI such that the plurality of visual representations are displayed relatively to each other so as to indicate the hierarchy associated with the at least a part of a process of the respective sub-UIs;
• and
• wherein the selection sub-UI is adapted to, in response to being at least momentarily displayed on the display unit, display the plurality of visual representations on the display unit such that the plurality of visual representations are arranged in a tree structure when displayed on the display unit.