Patent ID: 7100165

Claim:
An event-driven method for synchronizing plural processes that process information relating to process control, the method comprising A. registering at least one process of said plural processes for notification of menu selection events in another of said plural processes, each of the selected and other processes processing information regarding a process control system of a type used to control a manufacturing process, B. executing the plural processes on a common digital data processor with respect to any of common data and corresponding data (hereinafter, “common data”) and generating with each such process a different respective graphical user interface display, C. detecting selection of a menu item in a graphical user interface in one of the plural processes, D. identifying one or more processes, other than that in which the menu item was selected, registered for notification of menu selection events and notifying them that the menu item was selected, and E. responding to such notification by selectively modifying the graphical user interface display generated within each of the notified processes and selectively executing, within each of the notified processes with respect to the common data, an operation in accord with the selected menu item.