The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for control using field and control devices that provide a virtual machine environment and that communicate via an IP network. By way of non-limiting example, such field device can be an “intelligent” transmitter or actuator that includes a low power processor, along with a random access memory, a read-only memory, FlashRAM, and a sensor interface. The processor can execute a real-time operating system, as well as a Java virtual machine (JVM). Java byte code executes in the JVM to configure the field device to perform typical process control functions, e.g., for proportional integral derivative (PID) control and signal conditioning. Control networks can include a plurality of such field and control devices interconnected by an IP network, such as an Ethernet.

Methods and apparatus for control using control devices that provide a virtual machine environment and that communicate via an ip network

Connection objects or other such data structures facilitate establishing and configuring connections between objects that model components in a process control system. A first set of data structures (e.g. the object connection type structures) identify valid types for component-to-component pairings and the respective roles of each component in the pairing (e.g., parent or child, source or sink). A second set of data structures (e.g., the parameter connection type structures) supply similar information for parameter-to-parameter connections. Together, these data structures can be used, for example, to validate component-to-component connections suggested by the user and to automatically configure parameter-to-parameter connections. Actual connections, both at the component or parameter level, are reflected using parameter overrides within the parameterized object model—with which the connection objects are constructed.

Process control configuration system with connection validation and configuration

A system and method for displaying layered data, such as data with a hierarchical relationship is provided. A flat tree view control is provided that indicates the level corresponding to individual data items without indenting data items. Colors or grayscale shading is applied to each data item to indicate the item's level within the hierarchy. Items within the same level use the same color or shading. When an item is selected by the user it is expanded or collapsed depending on whether the layers below the selected item already appear on the display screen. Additional level indicator values and level indicator bars can be used to further indicate the level of data items. A data item can also be highlighted to indicate a particular attribute corresponding with an individual data item.

System and method for using shading layers and highlighting to navigate a tree view display

The invention provides, in some aspects, systems for interaction with a control environment that includes controlled equipment along with control devices that monitor and control that controlled equipment. According to some of those aspects, such a system includes first functionality that generates output representing an operational status of the controlled equipment, as well as second functionality that generates output representing an operational of one or more of the control devices. An engine coordinates the first functionality and to the second functionality to generate an operational status of the control environment. A virtual reality environment generates, as a function of that operational status and one or more physical aspects of the control environment, a three-dimensional (“3D”) display of the control environment. The virtual reality environment is responsive to user interaction with one or more input devices to generate the 3D display so as to permit the user to interact with at least one of the control devices and the controlled equipment at least as represented by the 3D display of the control environment. The engine applies to at least one of the first and second functionality indicia of those interactions to discern resulting changes in the operational status of the control environment. It applies indicia of those changes to the virtual reality environment to effect corresponding variation in the 3D display of the control environment—i.e., variation indicative of the resulting change in the control environment.

Systems and methods for immersive interaction with actual and/or simulated facilities for process, environmental and industrial control

A digital content transmission and reception system that uses a profile to notify a user of content is described. The content transmission and reception system compares a user profile with descriptive data for entertainment content that is to be simultaneously broadcast to the user and causes a notification system to notify the user when the content is of probably interest.

Notifying users of available content and content reception based on user profiles

This invention introduces class identification information for identifying the class of an object and makes it easy to retain, reproduce and transfer the object. An object tree as a tree-like structure for storing objects is also devised. A pointer can be retained and transferred by giving the object identification information to the object and converting the pointer to the combination of the object identification information. This invention is convenient for handling logic models representing various logical relationships. When elements of information distributed to a plurality of computers connected to a communication network such as an internet are linked together and a large scale logic model is reproduced, only the portion necessary for processing can be reproduced. When the invention is applied to three-dimensional space display, a continuous broad space can be reproduced as a space in which only necessary portions are continued. When the invention is applied to an object-oriented programming, all the objects are reproduced if vacancy exists in a main memory, and a request can be made to the objects of another computer if no vacancy exists.

Object management method and apparatus and data structure

A method of object management, in which object class identification information can be preserved, in object-oriented programming for future use, while it is difficult in the prior art to preserve objects and pointers. A tree-like structure (object tree) is devised for accommodating the objects, and the object identification information is given to each object. Pointer information can be preserved as a combination of the object identification information. The pointer can be reproduced by reading this pointer information and finding out the object designated by the combination of the object identification information. The object information can be distributed to a plurality of apparatuses, and a simplified virtual memory can be accomplished. High level functions for an Internet Web browser can also be accomplished by reproducing the objects and the pointer information on the basis of the information transmitted through a communication line.

Kunio Kamimura

Papers

Object management method and apparatus and data structure

Method and apparatus for object management