Patent ID: 7546580

Claim:
A computer readable medium storing an automation tool for supporting the planning and implementation of an automated technical process, the automation tool comprising: an access to a library containing a plurality of predefined basic object types associated with a functionality of a technical process, wherein the library contains, as the basic object types, a hierarchy of object types, comprising: first basic object types which is a highest level of abstraction and such that instances of the first basic object types represent physical starting material or physical raw substances to be processed in the technical process and to physical equipment for picking and transporting the starting materials to be used in the technical process, second basic object types such that instances of the second basic object types represent functional relationship to the equipment to be used in the technical process for picking up and transporting the starting material, and third basic object types such that instances of the third basic object types represent a control program for a controller for controlling the technical process; a first functionality generating and interlinking instances of the basic object types; a second functionality deriving structural information relative to the technical process from type information of each of the instantiated basic object types; and a display functionality outputting each of the generated instances of the first, second, and third object types onto a respective view, wherein first structure information relating to the staffing material and equipment is derived from instances of the first basic object type, wherein instances of the second basic object type are generated from the first structure information, wherein second structure information related to influence on the equipment is derived from the generated instances of the second basic object type, wherein the display functionality generates a first view in which a first specialist selects from a first selection window displayed in the first view at least one of the first basic object types and a corresponding instance is generated by the first functionality and is displayed in a first working window in the first view, where the first view displays only the first basic object types, and wherein the display functionality generates a second view in which a second specialist selects from a second selection window displayed in the second view at least one of the second basic object types to modify the technical process and a corresponding instance is generated by the first functionality and is displayed in a second working window in the second view, where the second view displays only the second basic object types and the second working window displays at least one instance of the second basic object types automatically generated and interlinked by the automation tool based on the selected first object types displayed in first working window.