Patent ID: 8671460

Claim:
A method of controlling access for writing information in a process control system that includes a unit module object associated with a hardware component having a plurality of hardware subunits and that includes a plurality of module objects associated with the unit module object, each of the plurality of module objects being associated with a different one of the plurality of hardware subunits, comprising: storing, in the unit module object, parameters for controlling the hardware component, the unit module object including a unit module object security attribute having a value; storing, in a particular one of the module objects, parameters for controlling a particular one of the subunits of the hardware component, wherein the particular one of the module objects has a module object mode attribute, wherein the particular one of the module objects is used to change an operating state of the particular one of subunits of the hardware component and wherein the module object mode attribute can be set to any one of a first set of values, each of the first set of values being independent of the unit module object security attribute value or that can be set to a further value that indicates a dependence on the unit module object security attribute value; and determining whether to allow a write to the module object based on the value of the module object mode attribute by selectively allowing access for writing information to the module object as indicated by the one of the first set of values of the module object mode attribute when the module object mode attribute is set to one of the first set of values and by selectively allowing access for writing information to the module object as indicated by the value of the unit module object security attribute when the module object mode attribute is set to the further value.