Patent ID: 9355477
Filing Date: 2016-05-31
CPC Classification: G05B,G06F,G06T

Claim Text:
1. A method, comprising: partitioning alarms into two or more alarm groups, the alarms associated with operation of an industrial process system performing a process, each alarm having multiple states; and generating a graphical display for presentation to a user, wherein the graphical display identifies at least one of the alarm groups and multiple alarm indicators, each alarm indicator indicating a state transition of an associated alarm between two of the alarm's states, the alarm indicators arranged in the graphical display based on times of their respective state transitions, wherein generating the graphical display comprises arranging the alarm indicators linearly along a first timeline representing a first historical elapsed period of time and overlaying a continuous history of the at least one of the alarm groups along the first timeline, wherein the graphical display further comprises a second timeline representing a second historical elapsed period of time that encompasses and is longer in duration than the first historical elapsed period of time, wherein the alarm indicators are selected for arrangement along the first timeline based on a selection of a time period within the second timeline, the first historical elapsed period of time matching the selection of the time period within the second timeline, wherein the second timeline includes a first indicator identifying the first historical elapsed period of time that is displayed in the first timeline, the first indicator configured to scroll across the second timeline to change the first historical elapsed period of time that is displayed in the first timeline, the first indicator configured to expand and contract to adjust a length of the first historical period of time that is displayed in the first timeline, wherein the second timeline also includes one or more second indicators identifying a duration in the second timeline of an active state for a selected alarm indicator occurring either outside or within a scope of the first indicator, and wherein the graphical display further comprises third indicators within the second timeline, the third indicators identifying a number of active alarms at different times along the second timeline occurring either outside or within the scope of the first indicator, the second and third indicators being visible within the first indicator.