A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND INDICATING THE STATES OF A PROCESS SYSTEM

Abstract: In a method of detecting and indicating the states of a process system (1), each of the possible states (9) of the process system is detected by a control and monitoring system (2) and linked to one or more multimedia objects (3). Information on which objects belong to each state is stored in a list, and said states are then indicated on a representation unit (8) by means of the multimedia objects (3). The information on which objects belong to each state is stored in a list (6) which is separated from the control and monitoring system (2).

Description: A method and a system for detecting and indicating the states of a process system The invention concerns a method of detecting and indicat¬ ing the states of a system, wherein said states are indi¬ cated by means of multimedia objects on a representation unit, and a corresponding system. Monitoring systems capable of showing or otherwise indi¬ cating the states of a system by means of multimedia ob¬ jects, such as static image on a screen, video sequences or sound signals, are well-known. They are used e.g. for monitoring industrial plants or teletransmission net- works. Today, such control and monitoring systems will fre¬ quently be programmed in a computer; but there are also systems which are designed as electronic controls. For each of the states of the monitored system, the monitor¬ ing system may be designed or programmed e.g. to show a specific screen image or emit a sound signal to indicate that the state concerned has occurred. In the previously known monitoring systems, this is an integral part of the actual control and monitoring program, which may be expe¬ dient of course, since all programming can then take place at the same time. Such a system is known from e.g. US 5 483 631. The system disclosed here has a display unit separated from the con¬ trol or management system itself. The display unit has assigned a display identifier to each of the objects that can be shown. The management system has a table showing correspondences between each display identifier and the events in the controlled system. When an event occurs it is the management system that performs calculations of what to show and subsequently transmits a display identi¬ fier to the display unit which only shows the object cor¬ responding to the identifier. No real data processing is thus carried out m the display unit. However, it has the drawback that it is difficult later to change the manner in which a given state is indicated, since this requires intervention m the actual control and monitoring program. Frequently, a user of the system needs or wishes to make such changes; but since the user normally is not allowed to change the actual programs, this can be done only with the cooperation of the sup¬ plier of the equipment, which, particularly in case of minor changes, makes it difficult to make such changes. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a method of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph, enabling users of the control and monitoring system e.g. to make changes, in a simple manner, in the way m which a given state is indicated. This is achieved according to the invention in that the information on which objects belong to each state is stored in a list which is separated from the control and monitoring system. When the relation between the states and the multimedia objects is indicated in a separate list or a table in¬ stead of being part of the actual control or monitoring system, it will be much easier to change these relations, it being just necessary to change a position in the list, without the actual program having to be changed. A cus¬ tomer can thus prepare such changes himself without being in touch with the control system itself. When, as stated in claim 2, when the control and monitor¬ ing system in the operation of the process system detects one of said states, information hereof is transmitted to an object control system, which from the list fetches the indication of the multimedia object or objects belonging to the state, which are then represented on the represen¬ tation unit, it is further achieved that the handling of the process system and the handling of the representation functions can be kept totally separated in two separate systems, which further reduces the risk of unintended in¬ terference in the control and monitoring system itself. When, as stated in claim 3, several multimedia objects are linked to at least some of the possible states of the system, and these objects are divided into a plurality of groups or layers, and occurrence of one of these states is then indicated by representing the object or objects from one of the groups, it is ensured that a given state may be indicated in one of a plurality of different ways. If, as stated in claim 4, the objects from the other group or groups can then be represented, as desired, it is additionally ensured that an operator can switch be¬ tween the various indications of a given state. For ex ¬ ample, it is conceivable that an error in an electronic circuit is first shown by an image which shows which mod¬ ule is defective. The operator can then switch to another image, where it can be seen on a diagram of the module concerned which component has caused the error. As stated in claim 5, the multimedia objects may expedi¬ ently be generated by means of special tools adapted for the purpose. These may e.g. be ordinary, well-known draw¬ ing programs to generate images for display on a computer screen. It may be made even more easy for a user to change the application of the multimedia objects, if, as stated in claim 6, said list is generated as a plurality of com¬ mands in an animation language. It may e.g. be a so- called script language, which exclusively consists of readily understandable commands, and which can therefore be used without special knowledge. As mentioned, the invention also concerns a system for detecting and indicating the states of a process system by means of multimedia objects on a representation unit. When the list of which objects belong to the states of the process system is separated from the control and monitoring system, then the advantages described above are achieved. Claims 8-12 define expedient embodiments of the control and monitoring system, which correspond to the method claims 2-6. The representing means of the control and monitoring sys¬ tem may moreover be adapted to manipulate the multimedia objects independently of their nature, as stated in claim 13. A graphical image may e.g. be enlarged to show a seg- ment of the image, or the strength of a sound signal may be adjusted. Finally, as stated in claim 14, the object control system may comprise means for activating signals which may af- feet the process system and/or the control and monitoring system. This e.g. allows navigation in the process system to remedy an error, or dialogs may be embedded in the control and monitoring system which make it easier to trace an error. The invention will now be explained more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which fig. 1 shows a control and monitoring system in which the invention is implemented, fig. 2 shows in greater detail how a list is generated according to the invention, and figs. 3, 4 and 5 show different layers of multimedia ob¬ jects between which an operator may switch. Fig. 1 shows an example of how a control and monitoring system of the invention may be designed. The process sys- tern 1 is the system to be monitored, and it may e.g. be an industrial plant or a teletransmission network. The control and monitoring system 2 is likewise well-known, and it will usually be programmed to respond in a spe¬ cific manner when a specific state or error occurs. As will seen by the shown arrows, the control and monitoring system 2 is connected with the process system 1, and the connection is bidirectional, since both control and moni¬ toring may take place. The system of the invention indicates the states of the process system by means of a plurality of multimedia ob¬ jects 3, which may e.g. be static images on a screen, video sequences or sound signals. The individual multime¬ dia objects may be generated by means of ordinary tools 4 adapted for the purpose, such as well-known drawing pro¬ grams or the like. In a special, dedicated tool 5, each of the process system states is linked to one or more of the multimedia objects 3, and these relations are stored in a list 6. The tool 5 will be described in more detail later. The activities described here take place before the control and monitoring system is put into operation, and they are shown in dashed line in fig. 1. When the control and monitoring system is in operation, the process system states are indicated by the object control system 7. When this detects via the control and monitoring system 2 that a specific state has occurred, it consults the list 6 to see which multimedia object or objects belong to this state, and this or these is/are then fetched from the multimedia objects 3 and is/are represented on the representation unit 8, which may e.g. be an ordinary computer screen. If it is desired at a later time to change the multimedia objects which belong to a specific state, this may be done by means of the tool 5, which then places the new relation in the list 6. An alternative is direct writing in the list 6. Where completely new objects are needed, these may be generated by means of the tools 4. It is shown in greater detail in fig. 2 how the dedicated tool 5, which generates the list 6, functions. In an ani¬ mation editor 10, the process system states 9 are linked to the multimedia objects 3, and then the actual list 6, which is also called an animation script, is generated by a script compiler 11 as a plurality of readily under¬ standable commands in a special animation language. For example, the animation language may have commands such as STATE LIST S01 ("S01"), STATE LIST S02("S02"), etc., which define the various objects. The relation be¬ tween the process system states and the multimedia ob¬ jects may then be indicated by commands such as PICTURE ("ARROW.WMF", 83,640,113,714) USES S02 or ALARMRECORD 12 USES S05. When several multimedia objects are linked to a given state, these may be divided into groups or layers so that just one layer is shown at a time. An operator can then decide by himself which layer he wants to see. An example of this is shown in figs. 3, 4 and 5. Fig. 3 is an example of a screen image which may be dis¬ played on a screen in case of an error in a teletransmis- sion network and corresponds to a first layer of multime- dia objects for precisely this error state. The screen image shows the geographical extent of the network, and it is shown by a dashed circle that there is an error on the network element 12. This gives the operator an over ¬ view of the consequences of the error for the function of the network. By clicking or double-clicking on the network element concerned e.g. with a mouse, the operator can then switch to the next layer, which may e.g. be as shown in fig. 4. This shows the physical structure of the network element concerned, which may consist of a plurality of modules arranged in a rack 13, and the defective module 14 is ac¬ centuated here. The module is shown hatched m the fig ¬ ure; but, typically, colours will be used, and an error may e.g. be indicated by a red colour. By clicking on the defective module again, the operator can then switch to the third layer, which is shown m fig. 5. This shows a block diagram of the function of the module, and it will be seen that the error is m the block 15. In addition to switching between the various layers, the operator may moreover manipulate with the individual screen images. For example, an image may be enlarged so that just a segment of the original image is shown. Cor- respondingly, if sound signals are included in the multi¬ media objects concerned, the sound strength may be ad¬ justed. In fig. 1 the arrow between the control and monitoring system 2 and the object control system 7 is shown to be bidirectional, as the object control system 7 may also be adapted to affect the control and monitoring system 2. For example, dialogs may be embedded in the control and monitoring system, which make it easier to trace an er¬ ror. Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described and shown, the invention is not re- stricted to this, but may also be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject-matter defined in the ac¬ companying claims. For example, it is possible to use other types of multimedia objects than those mentioned here.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. A method of detecting and indicating the states of a process system (1), wherein each of the possible states (9) of the process system is detected by a control and monitoring system (2) and linked to one or more multime¬ dia objects (3), and information on which objects belong to each state is stored in a list, and wherein said states are then indicated on a representation unit (8) by means of the multimedia objects (3), c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the information on which objects belong to each state is stored in a list (6) which is separated from the control and monitoring system (2) . 2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that, when the control and monitoring system (2) in the operation of the process system detects one of said states, information hereof is transmitted to an ob- ject control system (7), which from the list (6) fetches the indication of the multimedia object or objects be¬ longing to the state, which are then represented on the representation unit (8) . 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that several multimedia objects are linked to at least some of the possible states of the system, said multimedia objects being divided into a plu¬ rality of groups, and that occurrence of one of these states is indicated by representing the object or objects from one of said groups. 4. A method according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the objects from the other group or groups may then be represented, as desired. 5. A method according to claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the multimedia objects (3) are generated in advance by means of special tools (4) adapted for the purpose. 6. A method according to claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that said list (6) is generated as a plural¬ ity of commands in an animation language. 7. A system for detecting and indicating the states of a process system (1) and comprising a control and monitor¬ ing system (2) , wherein each of the possible states (9) of the process system can be detected, means for linking each of said states to one or more multimedia objects (3) and for indicating in a list (6) which objects belong to each state, and a representation unit (8) on which said states can be indicated by means of the multimedia ob¬ jects (3), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the list (6) is separated from the control and monitoring system (2) . 8. A system according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that it further comprises an object control system (7) which has means for representing, during op- eration of the process system, the multimedia object or objects, which belong to a detected state of the process system, from the list (6) on the representation unit (8) . 9. A system according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that several multimedia objects, which may be divided into a plurality of groups, may be linked to at least some of the possible states of the system, and that said representing means (7) are adapted to indicate oc¬ currence of one of these states by representing the ob- ject or objects from one of said groups. 10. A system according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the representing means (7) are adapted to subsequently represent the objects from the other group or groups, as desired. 11. A system according to claims 7-10, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that it is moreover adapted to generate the audio-visual objects in advance by means of special tools (4) adapted for the purpose. 12. A system according to claims 7-11, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that said list (6) comprises a plural ¬ ity of commands in an animation language. 13. A system according to claims 8-12, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that said representing means (7) are moreover adapted to manipulate the multimedia objects de¬ pending on their nature. 14. A system according to claims 8-13, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the object control system (7) moreover comprises means for activating signals which may affect the process system (1) and/or the control and monitoring system (2) .

Inventors: DEICHMANN PETER, DEICHMANN, PETER
Applicants: DEICHMANN PETER, DSC COMMUNICATIONS AS, DEICHMANN, PETER, DSC COMMUNICATIONS A/S
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G05B15
IPC codes: G05B23