System and method for shielding open process control client applications from bad quality initial data

Abstract

A system () and method () for managing components in a control system can include a plurality of devices () operably coupled to a processing system () for controlling a process run by the processing system. A server () is in communication with the plurality of devices. A client () is in communication with the server (), wherein the client () or an instance between the client and the server, such as controller (), is operable to identify at least one relevant item associated with the plurality of devices (). The at least one relevant item is one of a plurality of items to be added to a group, an inactive one of the plurality of items of the group being activated or one of the plurality of items of the group wherein the group is being activated. The client () or controller () obtains information from the server () and generates a determination whether the data associated with the at least one relevant item is a valid value or an invalid value, wherein valid values proceed directly to the client (), while values determined to be invalid values are only allowed to reach the client () if they continue to be determined to be invalid values after the pre-determined time delay period has expired.