Patent ID: 8683317

Claim:
A dynamically linked graphical messaging system for use in a process control system of a process control plant, the dynamically linked graphical messaging system comprising: a computing device in communication with the process control system, the computing device having a processor, a memory and a display; a dynamically linked graphical message database that is logically independent from a centralized database and from a configuration database, the dynamically linked graphical message database configured to store one or more entries respectively corresponding to one or more dynamically linked graphical messages, and each of the one or more entries of the dynamically linked graphical message database configured to indicate a correspondence between a respective process control object defined in the configuration database and a respective content of a respective dynamically linked graphical message, the respective content stored in the centralized database; and computer-executable instructions for a dynamically linked graphical message provider, the computer-executable instructions stored on the memory of the computing device and executable by the processor to: create a dynamically linked graphical message, the dynamically linked graphical message including a hyperlink and an electronic sticky note image, the electronic sticky note image including a field; store a content of the field of the electronic sticky note image in an entry of the centralized database that is accessible to the process control system; associate the content of the field of the electronic sticky note image with a process control object that is configured in the process control system and defined in the configuration database; store, in an entry of the dynamically linked graphical message database, an identification of the dynamically linked graphical message, an identification of the process control object corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message, and an indication of the centralized database corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message; establish, during a run-time of a display view on the display and based on the entry of the dynamically linked graphical message database corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message, the hyperlink between the content of the field and the process control object, the display view including a representation of the process control object; and present, in conjunction with the representation of the process control object on the display view, the electronic sticky note image including the content of the field.