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Stephen Gerard Hammack

Bio: Stephen Gerard Hammack is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Process (computing) & Configuration design. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 14 publications receiving 606 citations.

Papers
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Patent
05 Oct 2004
TL;DR: In this paper, a control studio object system is described, which allows a process control environment to be easily and quickly configured or modified by using a stencil portion having stencil items conforming to algorithms and a diagram portion to which the stencil item may be copied via a drag and drop operation.
Abstract: A control studio object system is disclosed which allows a process control environment to be easily and quickly configured or modified. The control studio object system includes a stencil portion having stencil items conforming to algorithms and a diagram portion to which the stencil items may be copied via a drag and drop operation. Because the stencil items are objects which contain all of the information required by a diagram portion to create an object that contains all of the information necessary to program the process control environment, the completed diagram portion reflects the actual configuration of the process control environment. Additionally, providing the stencil items as objects allows the diagrammed environment to be installed directly to nodes without requiring the diagram to be compiled or rewritten in a language conforming to the node.

302 citations

Patent
18 Oct 1999
TL;DR: In this paper, a system useful for controlling a process includes a computerreadable medium and a processor in communication with the computer-readable medium, and a first database and a second database.
Abstract: A system useful for controlling a process includes a computer-readable medium and a processor in communication with the computer-readable medium. The system further includes a first database and a second database. The first database stores first data representative of a first configuration of the process, while the second database stores second data representative of a second configuration of the process. A configuration routine of the system is stored in the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to facilitate a modification of the first configuration of the process. A version control routine of the system is stored in the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to store in the second database third data indicative of the modification of the first configuration of the process.

220 citations

Patent
27 Apr 2010
TL;DR: A graphical editor for creating operator displays and configuring control strategies in a process control plant or system may present a coherent view for the multiple graphical or control strategy items depicted within or associated with the display and strategy as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: A graphical editor for creating operator displays and configuring control strategies in a process control plant or system may present a coherent view for the multiple graphical or control strategy items depicted within or associated with the display and strategy. For each graphical item, the view may hierarchically show default and modified values, animation expressions, and event handler scripts. The view may allow a configuration engineer to group, order, and filter various graphical or control strategy items within a single display to present a cohesive view of how the multiple items within the display are capable of being configured for events, animations, and control strategies within the operator display. Providing this cohesive view may allow the user to view and configure graphical items and control strategies without having to open and dismiss dialogs for each configuration task.

34 citations

Patent
12 Mar 2010
TL;DR: In this article, a graphical display editor may use the scaling parameters to calculate various scaling factors that are then applied to the sub-elements of each composite shape during resizing.
Abstract: Parameters associated with sub-elements of a composite shape may determine how the sub-element is scaled during resizing of the composite shape. A graphical display editor may use the scaling parameters to calculate various scaling factors that are then applied to the sub-elements of each composite shape during resizing. The editor may apply the scaling parameters to the sub-elements for resizing in one or more axes (e.g., the length, width, and height or X, Y, and Z axes, etc.) to adjust the composite shape for a particular graphical display. The editor may apply the scaling parameters directly to each sub-clcmcnt to prevent any distortion of those sub-elements. The configured scaling parameters may then be linked to the composite shape so that, at runtime, the parameters are applied to the composite shape and its sub-elements. The scaling parameters may be applied to both composite shapes and animations associated with the composite shapes.

21 citations

Patent
18 Oct 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a system's configuration routine is stored in a computer-readable medium and so configured that a processor can run it in order to make it easy to modify the first configuration.
Abstract: A first database (100) stores initial data that depicts a first configuration of a process, while a second database (102) stores secondary data depicting a second configuration of the process. A system's configuration routine is stored in a computer-readable medium and so configured that a processor can run it in order to make it easy to modify the first configuration. A version control routine for the system is stored in a computer-readable medium and so configured that the processor can run it in order to store tertiary data in the second database. This tertiary data sets up modification of the first configuration of the process.

12 citations


Cited by
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Patent
20 Jul 2007
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe a virtual machine for control using field and control devices that provide a virtual environment and communicate via an IP network. But their work is limited to the control of a single field device.
Abstract: 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.

378 citations

Patent
28 Apr 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, the database server automatically detects changes to an item within a configuration database and sends notifications of changes made to the item to each of the subscribers of that item so that a user always views the state of the configuration as it actually exists within the configuration database.
Abstract: A configuration database includes multiple databases distributed at a plurality of physical locations within a process control system. Each of the databases may store a subset of the configuration data and this subset of configuration data may be accessed by users at any of the sites within the process control system. A database server having a shared cache accesses a database in a manner that enables multiple subscribers to read configuration data from the database with only a minimal number of reads to the database. To prevent the configuration data being viewed by subscribers within the process control system from becoming stale, the database server automatically detects changes to an item within the configuration database and sends notifications of changes made to the item to each of the subscribers of that item so that a user always views the state of the configuration as it actually exists within the configuration database.

339 citations

Patent
17 Dec 2001
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present techniques, including a system and method, for document collaboration between a managing author using a document management system (DMS), and one or more contributing authors.
Abstract: The present invention provides techniques, including a system and method, for document collaboration between a managing author using a document management system (DMS), and one or more contributing authors. In one embodiment the managing author selects an original document from the DMS. Next, a replica of the original document is made and securely sent by the managing author to the one or more contributing authors. A contributing author may make proposed changes and comments to the replica. The edited replica with the proposed changes is converted into a response that is sent back to the managing author. The proposed changes for the contributing author are determined using the response and displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) for viewing by the managing author. The managing author accepts or rejects the proposed changes to the original document from the contributing author.

338 citations

Patent
14 Feb 2006
TL;DR: In this article, a 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.
Abstract: 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.

294 citations