Rockwell Software Inc.

Icom Incorporated

Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Jeffrey L Hamilton

Bret D Schlussman

The present invention relates to a system and methodology facilitating automated audit recording and tracking of PLC-based interactions. A recording component is provided that interacts with an application that can change or alter one or more characteristics of PLC operations. The recording component can be client-based on the same or associated platform as the application or can be embedded within a control system component. When interactions have been recorded, a tracking component aggregates such interactions in a file or record stored in a local or remote database, wherein audit reports that document control interactions or changes can automatically be generated from such files. Recorded interactions can be stored in a substantially real time manner and include records of all interactions with a control system as opposed to merely saving a final program or resultant image of such interactions, thus facilitating a more controlled and secure auditing environment.

System and methodology providing audit recording and tracking in real time industrial controller environment

An object-oriented computer environment having a pair of graphical objects displayed on a graphical window of a display screen. The graphical objects are positioned relative to one another in a desired orientation through the use of a user interface. The graphical objects are operatively joined at an anchor point so that movement of one of the graphical objects will correspondingly move the other graphical object joined therewith.

Method and apparatus for joining and manipulating graphical objects in a graphical user interface

A graphical object in an object-oriented environment is comprised of a plurality of child graphical objects. The parent graphical object and each of the child graphical objects have a property corresponding to the orientation of a representation of the respective object. A connection tree is formed from the parent graphical object which has the initial values of each property of the child graphical objects. During operation, the value of the property of the graphical object may be altered corresponding to a change in the position of the object's graphical representation. The altered value is broadcast through the connection tree to allow recalculation of each child object's property based upon its initial value so that the parent object and its child objects can be graphically displayed based on the changed position.

Method and apparatus for manipulating and displaying graphical objects in a computer display device

A graphical user interface for monitoring or controlling a process having a plurality of components. Graphical objects are operatively connected to one another such that movement of a representation of one of the graphical objects correspondingly affects the movement of a representation of the other graphical object. The graphical objects are associated with the plurality of components through data linking. Data received from the process relates to position or state changes of the components. Properties of the graphical objects are updated with the received data causing the representations of the graphical objects to move accordingly.

Method and apparatus for displaying mechanical emulation with graphical objects in an object oriented computing environment

A computer-implemented method and apparatus for monitoring a process operating under statistical process control (SPC). The computer displays a 'target control chart' to represent SPC data from the process. The target control chart comprises a Specification Limits ball graphically depicting the specifications limits for the process, a Control Limits ball graphically depicting the control limits for the process, and a Data Population ball graphically depicting one or more characteristics of a sample population of the measured data values for the process. Once defined, the Specification Limits ball remains static, and its display is not altered. The Control Limits ball may be static, or may be re-positioned and re-sized as additional measured data values are included in the sample population. The Data Population ball is dynamic and is re-positioned and re-sized as additional measured data values are included in the sample population. The position of the Data Population ball on a Y axis of the target control chart is calculated by averaging all measured data values in a specified study length or moving window of the sample population. The diameter of the Data Population ball is calculated by determining a standard deviation of all measured data values in the specified study length or moving window of the sample population.

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Cedarburg, WI, United States of America

Jeffrey L Hamilton