Patent ID: 8316356

Claim:
A method for operating and monitoring a control device with an operating and monitoring device, wherein the control device operates via firmware and has a data-oriented link to the operating and monitoring device, wherein the control device and the operating and monitoring device have a processor-supported control unit for executing software programs, comprising: restricting direct access to the firmware of the control device by providing access to the firmware by the operating and monitoring device through an interpreter program executed on the control device, wherein scripts with display modules and program structures are accessable by the interpreter program; upon an occurrence of an event, converting internal operating data by the interpreter of the control device into display data in a prescribable display format, and converting display data into internal operating data, wherein the internal operating data for the firmware on the control device are accessable by the program structures; processing scripts associated with the event, wherein the program structures compile and store an associated result from the processing in the processor-supported control unit in form of display modules with display data in the prescribed display format, and make the result available to the operating and monitoring device; executing a display program on the operating and monitoring device to display the display modules in the prescribable display format loaded from the processor-supported control unit into the operating and monitoring device; and storing references to at least one script on the control device in the display modules to allow for selection by a user action as one event when the display modules are loaded onto the operating and control device, wherein the references are associated with the event, wherein the associated script is started and processed by the interpreter program when the event occurs, wherein the display modules incorporate text fields, bit maps, and edit fields, wherein the program structures incorporate mathematical and logical functions together with program branches and loops, wherein several display modules are combined into display pages, and wherein the interpreter program is executed by the control unit in a background process and checks for impermissible parameter values to avoid impermissible states, thereby preventing damage to the control device.