Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) Search and Navigation Assistant

Abstract

A method and system for implementing a search function to bypass an ordered hierarchical menu selection path to access device parameters, wherein a hierarchical menu is generated based on an Electronic Device Description (EDD) and interpreted using an EDD engine. The search function provides a first set of parameter results without presenting display characteristics, thereby providing a simple initial display of possible matches to the user. A user selection of a desired device parameter is received, and a device parameter view containing the desired device parameter can be obtained and presented on the user interface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to process control systems and, more particularly, to methods and systems for accessing and displaying plant equipment parameters and functions using electronic device descriptions and electronic device description interpreters. Background Art

[0002] A process control system used in an industrial process may include at least one host or operator workstation that is communicatively coupled to one or more process controllers via one or more input / output (I / O) interface devices. The process controllers may communicate with one or more field devices via analog, digital, or combined analog / digital buses. Field devices, which may be, for example, valves, valve positioners, switches, and transmitters / sensors (e.g., temperature, pressure, and flow sensors), perform functions within a process plant, such as opening or closing valves and measuring process parameters. The process controllers receive signals indicative of process measurements made by the field devices and / or other information related to the field devices, use this information to implement control routines, and then generate control signals that are sent via the buses to the field devices to control the operation of the process. As described herein, field devices, controllers, and other plant equipment (e.g., input / output interfaces) are generally referred to as "process control devices" or "control devices."

[0003] Information from the process control devices may be made available to one or more applications (i.e., routines, programs, etc.) executed by an operator workstation (e.g., a processor-based system) to enable an operator to perform desired functions regarding the process, such as viewing the current state of the process (e.g., via a graphical user interface), evaluating the process, modifying the operation of the process (e.g., via a visual object diagram), etc. In some systems, the workstation application may be an electronic device description (EDD) engine or an EDD interpreter for communicating with electronic devices such as process control devices based on electronic device description (EDD) files of the process control devices. In such systems, device parameters and functions may be accessed via a series of device parameter screens or views. The device parameter screens or views may be constructed as specified by the EDD file of the process control device and displayed as a user interface at the workstation or at other computing devices communicatively coupled to the workstation.

[0004] Generally, an Electronic Device Description (EDD) file, or what is sometimes described herein as an EDD, can be used within a process control system to provide a structured and / or standardized format for describing and specifying the parameters and functions of a process control device. An Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) is generally used to create or write an EDD file. For example, an EDD engine or interpreter running on a workstation, controller, or other computing device is software for interpreting or transforming an EDD file and facilitating access to, control of, and / or management of a process control device. A human-machine interface or user interface software can be used to display a graphical representation of device parameter information from a process control device based on what is specified in the EDD file, what is interpreted by the EDD engine, and what is communicated from the EDD engine to the user interface (sometimes referred to as a human-machine interface or HMI). In this system, the EDD file can specify the visualization of process control information based on parameters associated with the device and based on the communication between the EDD engine and the device.

[0005] A device parameter screen or view generated by the EDD engine can include a set of parameters with links to other views with different sets of parameters, as specified by the EDD. The device parameter screens can be organized in a hierarchical manner (e.g., a hierarchical menu or menu tree), where accessing a desired device parameter can involve clicking through a sequence of device parameter screens to access the device parameter screen that contains the desired parameter. This way of accessing process control device parameters can be cumbersome. In particular, the EDD can specify a large number of device screens, which typically require a user to navigate through multiple screens to reach the desired parameter. The number of device screens or views can be proportional to the number and complexity of the parameters of a particular device. Of course, sometimes a user may accidentally find the target parameter in the initial first or second device screen, but generally, multiple views or screens need to be traversed before reaching the desired screen or view that contains the desired device parameter.

[0006] In some cases, an experienced user may know the path (i.e., the screen sequence) for accessing a particular parameter, making the access more efficient. For example, to navigate to a particular device parameter screen, the user can know that the device can be located by selecting the third option of the first view, the fifth option of the second view, and the second option of the third view. In this case, knowing how to click directly to the desired parameter can save time. However, for new and inexperienced users, finding the path to the target view generally involves reading each option on each device screen, considering which option is correct, and making the correct selection to navigate to the desired parameter. Even after carefully considering the presented view items or elements, sometimes an incorrect option may still be selected, requiring more time to navigate to the correct device screen that contains the desired device parameter. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The claimed method and system include: querying a set of device parameters associated with an electronic device; applying a first search algorithm to an index of parameter identifiers based on a first user input to generate a first set of parameter results; and displaying the first set of parameter results without presenting display characteristics of the first set of parameter results. The claimed method and system include: receiving a user selection of a device parameter; obtaining a second set of parameter results based on the user selection; and displaying the second set of parameter results, which includes presenting display characteristics of the second set of parameter results.

[0008] The second set of parameter results may include a view of a device parameter screen as part of a menu screen provided by a manufacturer, as specified in an EDD file. In one embodiment, the second set of parameter results may include an identifier, display attributes, and current values of the device parameters selected by the user. In one embodiment, for the purpose of simplifying the target device parameter screen, the system may forego displaying the device parameter screen provided by the manufacturer. For the same target device parameters, the simplified target device parameter screen may use display attributes different from those specified for the menu screen provided by the manufacturer.

[0009] In one embodiment, the method and system may be implemented using an electronic device description language specification in an EDD file. In one embodiment, the method and system may be implemented in a user interface description section of the EDD file. In one embodiment, the method and the system may be implemented as a user interface plug-in component of a system under a field device integration standard. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 Illustrates a system for accessing an electronic device using an electronic device description (EDD).

[0011] Figure 2 Illustrates implementing an EDD system in a process control plant using an industry standard field device integration (FDI).

[0012] Figure 3 Illustrates a device screen specified by an EDD file for a temperature sensor.

[0013] Figure 4 Illustrates a set of screens that can be navigated to reach desired device parameters.

[0014] Figure 5 Illustrates a user interface for using a search function to navigate to desired process control device parameters in a multi-device screen system.

[0015] Figure 6A Illustrates a user interface screen for an exemplary search.

[0016] Figure 6B Illustrates possible search results and option screens.

[0017] Figure 7 Illustrates the device parameter screen obtained based on the search function.

[0018] Figure 8 Illustrates the user interface for the auto-suggest search function.

[0019] Figure 9 Illustrates the user interface for filtering search results by parameter type or category.

[0020] Figure 10 Illustrates the user interface for the quick view search function.

[0021] Figure 11 Illustrates a block diagram of a method or process for locating desired device parameters. Detailed Description

[0022] Figure 1 Illustrates a portion of a process control system 10 that includes a workstation 12 running an electronic device description (EDD) host application 14. The host application 14 may include an EDD engine or interpreter 16. As used herein, electronic device description and device description have similar or the same meaning and are typically created using the electronic device description language (EDDL). The host application 14 may be adapted to receive and manage EDD files 18 for one or more process control devices 20, 21, and 22 in the process control system 10. A user interface or human-machine interface (HMI) 24 may communicate with the EDD engine or interpreter 16 to access the process control devices, such as input / output interface 20, process controller 21, or field device 22. The user interface 24 may communicate with the EDD engine 16 to receive visual information presented on a display 26 of the user interface 24 and may include views of the parameters and functions of the process control devices 20, 21, or 22. The views presented may include graphical representations of the parameters and their current values. The manner in which the views are organized and the types of views available may be specified by the EDD 18 and provided to the HMI or user interface 24 by the EDD engine 16 of the host application 14. In some embodiments, the host application 14 may include both the HMI / user interface 24 and the EDD engine 16 (see Figure 1)。In other embodiments, the host application running on the first computing device may include an EDD engine, and the second host application running on a second different computing device may include an HMI, where the first computing device may act as a client and the second computing device may act as a server. In this model, multiple clients may use the EDD engine to access the same server to communicate with the process control device. The EDD engine may access the device description and catalog the device description, and provide a common set of interfaces to access the process control device modeled or specified by the EDD of the process control device.

[0023] Figure 1 An exemplary HMI or user interface 24 may generate a display showing process control information from the field device 22 based on the EDD file 18 managed by the EDD engine 16. In this way, the user of the workstation 12 implementing the HMI 24 can view the process control information associated with the field device 22. For example, to display the process control information, the user interface 24 may use an input device 25 (such as a keyboard, mouse, etc.) to receive a request from the user of the workstation 12 to view information associated with the field device 22 in the process control system 10.

[0024] The exemplary user interface 24 may then transmit the request to the EDD engine or interpreter 16, which in turn accesses the corresponding EDD file 18 associated with the requested field device 22. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the EDD file may correspond to a process control device, such as those in a distributed process control system (e.g., field devices or process controllers), however, an electronic device description (EDD) can be used to describe any electronic device and the methods and systems described herein may also be applicable to any electronic device that can be described using EDDL, even devices that are not part of a process control system.

[0025] Figure 1Illustrated is that the EDD generally includes device data or device definition 31, business logic (BL) 32, and user interface description (UID) 33. The EDD engine or interpreter 16 can read the EDD file 18 for instructions on how to display process control information or device information. In some cases, the EDD file 18 can include instructions for displaying one or more views. Generally, as used herein, a view includes a set of parameters and display characteristics associated with the set of parameters, where the display characteristics are instructions on how to display the set of parameters. In some systems, each device parameter can have its own set of display characteristics, and a view can include one or more device parameters along with their corresponding display characteristics. In some systems, each device parameter can have a set of display characteristics determined by the view containing the device parameter. In some embodiments, the parameter information required for the device parameter screen can be obtained from a database view. In some cases, the EDD file 18 can include instructions for displaying a menu or view as part of a host application. The EDD file 18 can provide a function description for each item in the menu. The EDD file 18 can also include instructions for defining how to display graphics within a view. For example, the EDD file can include instructions for defining the size, layout, format, and / or arrangement of parameter text. In another example, the EDD file 18 can include instructions for defining the size, layout, format, placement, data fields, and / or arrangement of an image or other graphical display object. Generally, the display characteristics can include well-known graphical user interface (GUI) elements, such as panels, menus, text boxes, and elements for displaying parameter values (e.g., graphics, tables, charts, etc.).

[0026] In another example, the EDD file 18 can contain links and / or references to images to be displayed in the application 14. To display an image in a view, Figure 1 the exemplary user interface 24 can use the instructions in the EDD file 18 to construct, format, and / or position the image. In some examples, the EDD file 18 can include references and / or links to an image database (not shown) that the display interface 24 accesses to locate the referenced graphics. In this way, the display interface 24 can display prefabricated graphics (e.g., clip art, pictures, animations, etc.) referenced within the EDD file.

[0027] The exemplary user interface 24 can also utilize the corresponding real-time process control information to present the referenced graphics for display in the application 14. In this example, the EDD engine 16 can communicate with or query the field device 22 for the corresponding device parameter values when the HMI is requesting a view that requires the display of these parameters and parameter values. Figure 1An exemplary user interface 24 can combine graphics with process control information by using references and / or links within the EDD file 18 to process control information stored in a device such as the field device 22. For example, an EDD file that describes a tabular graphic can include references to parameters (e.g., parameter values) for each table cell. The references can include directory locations within memory, locations within a hierarchical data scheme, Internet addresses of servers that host process control information (e.g., servers associated with OPC UA), and / or locations within the field device 109 specified by parameters corresponding to device information. The user interface 102 can use the links and / or references to insert process control information or parameter values and / or combine process control information or parameter values with a graphic or graphic object. For example, the user interface can initiate a query via the EDD engine 16 to obtain current device parameter values from the real-time field device 22 for display. Then, the display interface 24 can use the instructions provided by the EDD engine 16 to render the graphic with the process control information to graphically display the process control information or device information.

[0028] In some exemplary systems, the EDD engine 16 and / or associated elements of the EDD engine 16 can generate an Extensible Markup Language (XML) representation of the user interface, as described by the EDD 18. In this exemplary system, the EDD engine 16 can read the EDD file 18 and interpret the EDD as a series of XML files that, when presented on the display 26, provide a visual representation of the user interface for accessing the device corresponding to the EDD. For example, after reading the EDD file 18 corresponding to a field device such as a temperature sensor, the EDD engine 16 can generate a main menu screen or view in the form of an XML page or document. This page can be retrieved and accessed by the HMI 24, which displays the XML on an attached monitor 26, similar to a web browser. Then, the user can interact with the displayed XML page, for example, by clicking through various parameters to obtain additional views or screens specified in the EDD 18 and converted to XML pages by the EDD engine 16. In this model, the EDD engine 16 can act as a server, while the HMI 24 can act as a client. In one embodiment, in addition to or instead of using XML, the EDD engine can be adapted or modified to use JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) to generate the visual representation of the user interface.

[0029] Figure 2 Illustrates a particular implementation of an EDD-based system for accessing process control devices in a process control system. Figure 2The system can be used to illustrate a system based on the industrial standard EDD, which is called the Field Device Integration (FDI) system or model. The FDI system is developed by the cooperation of major process automation suppliers and standard organizations. The FDI system can be designed to communicate with devices in the entire process plant through different protocols to manage device information. In this system, the host can include an FDI server and an FDI client.

[0030] In an FDI system 70 such as Figure 2 shown, a device such as field device 22 can have an EDD 18 (labeled in a similar manner) similar to that described in Figure 1 . The EDD 18 of the device can at least include a device definition 31, a business logic 32, and a user interface description (UID) 33. In the FDI system, the EDD 18 of the device can be encapsulated in a standardized FDI device package 90. The FDI device package 90 can include the EDD 18, a user interface plug-in (UIP) 82, and an attachment 83 specific to the electronic device. In this system, each device 22 of the FDI system 70 is represented by the FDI device package 90. Generally, the device 22 can be any device in the process plant described using the FDI package 90. In addition to the capabilities that can be described using only the UID 33 in the EDD 18, the UIP 82 of the FDI device package 90 can generally allow host-specific graphical and processing functions. For example, in addition to the functions specified in the UID 33 of the EDD 18 and interpreted by the EDD engine, the UIP 82 can allow host-specific graphical and processing functions. The attachment 83 of the FDI device package 90 can include graphics and pictures related to the device, a registration certificate, a data sheet, a user manual, and communication protocol specification files (such as GSD (General Station Description), CFF (Common File Format), etc.).

[0031] The EDD file 18 may contain a User Interface Description (UID) 33 that uses current industrial standard EDDL functionality to specify the visual representation of a set of parameters. The UID 33 may contain basic visual elements (such as windows, tabs, input fields, buttons) and some complex elements (such as trends, gauges, and bar charts). Sometimes more complex graphics may be required that are outside the scope that can be encoded via EDDL. In these cases, an EDD-based device access system may use add-on components or add-ons to enhance the graphical capabilities of the user interface description 33 defined by EDDL. In a system implementing the FDI system 70, enhanced device functionality or parameter representation may be implemented using a host system-specific User Interface Plug-in (UIP) 82 and be able to utilize more powerful graphical rendering elements compared to those specified by the UID 33. As the EDDL specification becomes more robust, additional features may be supported via the UID 33.

[0032] The FDI server 92 may be adapted to import and manage FDI device packages 90, read and interpret the contents of the FDI device packages 90, and, when started, create a series of graphical instructions that allow an FDI client 94 communicatively coupled to the FDI server 92 to access process control device functionality and read device parameter values. The FDI server 92 may include an FDI EDD engine 100 for reading the EDD 18 contained in the FDI device package 90, where the FDI server 92 may create a graphical user interface 102 (such as a view) that can be used by the FDI client 94. The client 94 may communicate with the FDI server 92 to obtain graphical instructions, for example in an XML-based representation, and render those graphics to the user on a display device. In this regard, the FDI client 94 acts similar to Figure 1 the HMI shown. The FDI client 94 may also import and execute the User Interface Plug-in (UIP) 82 of the FDI device package 90 for a particular device 22. As discussed, certain functions and graphical interfaces may be implemented by the UIP 82 that are outside the scope of or provide enhancements to what is specified by the UID 33.

[0033] Generally, the FDI server 92 may be a workstation, a process controller, a field device, or any other computing device communicatively coupled to an electronic device described by the EDD 18 or the FDI device package 90. In some cases, the FDI server 92 may have a direct communication link to the electronic device 22, as Figure 2 shown by the communication link 124. In other cases, the FDI server 92 may communicate with an electronic device 22 such as a process control device via a communication interface or an input / output (I / O) device. InFigure 2 In the case of the FDI system 70 shown, the FDI server 92 can be adapted to use a general communication platform with a suitable communication interface to communicate with various process control devices over different communication protocols or legacy systems that are typically not compatible with current industrial standards. The FDI communication platform can include an FDI communication server 110 coupled to the FDI server 92. The FDI communication server 92 can be used for the integration of non-native field protocols and can support the integration of communication with devices in heterogeneous hierarchical networks using different communication hardware.

[0034] Typically, the EDD of a device can specify the parameters, methods, or functions of a process control device or other electronic device. Importantly, the EDD can also include the organization of the parameters and functions for the electronic device. Since the parameters of a field device may be too numerous to be all displayed on one visual screen, the EDD can specify that the parameters are organized by data screens or views. In some cases, the visual screen can be determined by the physical type and size of the physical display of the workstation hosting the user interface or HMI 24. For example, a specific physical window size of the display monitor and a corresponding minimum readable font size can be specified (e.g., by the EDD or the host application), the limitations of which may be suitable for the number of items or parameters in the window, view, or screen. Note that window, view, or screen can be used interchangeably herein. The way of organizing parameters by views may depend on multiple factors, including the type of process control device specified by the EDD file. One factor affecting view organization may be the classification nature of the data set used by the device, while another factor may be the preference of the programmer or operator, where specific data sets are grouped according to the operator's familiarity. In one example, the parameters can be grouped in a way corresponding to the way the parameters are recorded in the database used by the device. For example, the organization of the parameters can correspond to grouping based on type or functional fields.

[0035] Accessing process control device parameters typically may require traversing a hierarchical set of device view screens containing various parameter sets until reaching the specific view screen containing the desired parameter. This way of accessing via sequential view screens can also be a product of legacy systems in the industrial control industry, where older field devices were designed to use sequential menus for access, control, and management.

[0036] Figure 3 Illustrated is the device screen 201 specified by the EDD file for a process control field device. In this case, the field device is a temperature sensor, more specifically, a Rosemount 644 temperature sensor manufactured by Fisher Rosemount Systems. The EDD file can typically specify, for exampleFigure 3 The screen layout 201 shown. The layout 201 may include an option menu 202 for accessing the parameters and functions of a process control device. Specifically, Figure 3 illustrates a process variable root menu 210, a device root menu 212, and a diagnostic root menu 214. Generally, by clicking or selecting any option on the main screen 201, an additional screen 216 with additional options 218 or parameters can be generated and displayed. When a user wants to access the parameters of a process control device or run any function (such as a diagnostic function) on the process control device, the user can access the first main menu 201 when referring to the EDD reference / parameters of the EDD or XML equivalent through the EDD engine or interpreter. To access or find a specific desired parameter or function, the user may need to click, select, and / or expand menus and containers (such as view screens (such as sub-menus, sub-windows, dialog boxes, pages, etc.)) until the desired parameter is reached. As described above, the organization of the parameters and data of field devices can be the product of multiple different factors, but for each device, even those within the same category (such as sensors), it is usually different.

[0037] Figure 3 illustrates a manual setting option 220 under the screen layout menu 201, which is the main path or selection that a user can choose to find the device label parameter. The actual location of the desired device label parameter can be in the manual setting 220 (second menu), device (seventh option of the second menu), identification (first option / group of the third menu option). Figure 4 illustrates a set of screens 201, 202, and 203 that can be navigated by the user to reach the desired device parameter: the device label parameter 230. Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a short example of the process that a less experienced user may need to go through to access specific device parameters of a process control device using an EDD file. Finding or accessing the desired parameter may involve the arduous process of reading numerous options and filtering through many other variables until the user can reach the category or grouping (such as a view) that contains the parameter desired by the user.

[0038] Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment of a method and system for using a search function or feature to navigate to a desired process control device parameter. A search window, a search dialogue text box, or any other search display function 280 can be displayed on the user interface of the client device, prompting the user to enter or type a search string or string specifier. As Figure 5As shown, the search window can be integrated with the main menu console, such as element 280, or the search window can be a floating window, such as element 282. After entering the search string, the user can activate the first search function or the first search algorithm by, for example, clicking or selecting enter or the search button. Then, the search string can be used as the input to the search function interface (such as the interface shown in Figure 5 ).

[0039] Figure 6A Illustratively, the user can enter the search string in the search text box 310. Figure 6A Illustratively, the search string "sensor" 312 is entered, and then the search button 314 is selected. The search function can have an intermediate screen 316 indicating that the search is in progress. In one embodiment, a first or preliminary result set 318 of search function output parameters can be output. This first parameter result set 318 can be a set of device parameters having identifiers 320 that match or partially match the search string entered by the user. If the desired parameter exists in the first result set and is easily visible, the user can select the desired parameter from this preliminary result set. For example, in the Figure 6B (similar to Figure 6A ) display screen, if the user's search string is "sensor" 312 and the user's desired device parameter is the sensor type 330, the user can simply select the desired device parameter 330 to obtain or open the corresponding screen, menu, or layout object containing the desired device parameter. In one embodiment, obtaining the screen, menu, or view object can include activating a link (such as an index, shortcut, or address, etc.) that will open (e.g., render) the actual device parameter menu, screen, view, or display layout containing the desired device parameter. The menu screen, view, or display layout can be specified by the device's EDD file. In one embodiment, obtaining the screen or view can include querying the view containing the parameter having an identifier associated with or matching the device parameter selected from the first result set. For example, the sensor 1 temperature parameter can have an identifier that links it to a specific view or device screen. The device parameter view can be queried or searched based on the parameter identifier. At the same time, the device parameter view can also have an identifier, and the query for the view can involve querying the view identifier based on the parameter identifier. Figure 7 Illustratively, the view 360 obtained from the user selecting or clicking on the Figure 6B desired parameter sensor type 330 is shown. In one embodiment, the resulting view can be adapted to highlight the selected device parameter, such as using an elliptical arc 361.

[0040] Because the initial result set may return a large number of results, especially in the case of more complex field devices or controllers, it may not be easy to locate the desired parameter during the first search. For example, the parameter may not be on the first screen, or even on the second screen, when the user can activate a scrolling function to scroll down the parameters of the first result set. In one embodiment, additional search functions may be provided to the user. In one embodiment, the user may continue to refine his search string. For example, the user may type "Sensor 1" or "Sensor Temperature", thereby initiating a second search function or query to provide a second parameter result set. In such a configuration, the search or query may be initiated after each new character is typed or entered into the search box. The activation or implementation of this feature may depend on the processing power used to perform multiple searches and the latency in returning results from the query. In cases where the required processing power or latency is too high, embodiments of the system may automatically disable the search-as-you-type feature and, instead, default to performing a search when the enter or search button is activated (i.e., the user needs to click to activate a new search).

[0041] In some embodiments, additional features may be programmed to automatically suggest results, as Figure 8 shown. In this feature, the user search string may be recorded in a cache (e.g., memory). The display search function may include recursively searching the cache for a match to the user-entered search string as each character is typed by the user. Figure 8 An initial search interface 500 is shown with no input text. In this embodiment, when a user search string 501 is typed into the search box 510, the search function may provide a match 511 to a previously entered, cached search string, and the match 511 is displayed to the user as a suggestion for an item. The user may then click on the suggestion 511, which can then be used for the first search function.

[0042] In one embodiment, as part of the first parameter result set, additional fields such as categories of device parameters may be displayed to the user. In this case, the user may have the option to initiate a second search function or query, where the second parameter result set displays matching parameters by category of device parameter. The second search function may be a filter that matches or groups the parameters in the first result set by an additional field identifier (e.g., category field). As Figure 9 shown, a Rosemount temperature sensor may have categories of device parameters (e.g., action 561, parameter 562, group 563, page 564, chart 565, etc.). In Figure 9In the illustrated embodiment, selecting or clicking on parameter categories 561 - 565 can cause additional searches or filters to be initiated 570, where only the parameters belonging to that category appear or are displayed in the search results box 580. In other embodiments, clicking on a parameter category can reorganize the results so that the parameters are listed by category, where all parameters are still displayed. Similar to when a user finds a desired parameter in the first parameter result set, once a user selects a parameter from the second parameter result set, the corresponding view, screen, menu, and / or layout object containing the desired device parameter can be retrieved and displayed.

[0043] Figure 10 An embodiment illustrating a quick view function or a partial view function is shown. In Figure 10 this embodiment, when the selected device parameters 901 of the first parameter result set 905 or the second parameter result set are displayed in a list form, a partial view 900 of the device parameter screen can be displayed, or what is described herein as a quick view. In some embodiments, hovering a display pointer (not shown) over a parameter in the parameter list result 905 can activate the quick view 900 of that individual parameter 901. In other embodiments, when a user selects a device parameter, the process can forego displaying the full device parameter screen and instead display the quick view 900 of the device parameter 901 selected by the user. In this embodiment, a query can be made to find a limited set of display characteristics for the view containing the selected parameter. For example, the display characteristics for the selected parameter can be queried or retrieved for display instead of the display characteristics for the entire window, view, or screen. Figure 10 An example of a quick view 900 of the parameters of a sensor device is shown. In this illustration, only the parameter identifier 907 and the parameter value 908 of the selected sensor parameter are displayed. Figure 10 The display 900 of Figure 7 can be merely a part of a complete or full view 360 containing the same parameters (element 907 and element 360) as shown in

[0044] In one embodiment, display attributes can be used to show a quick view of the parameters as shown in Figure 10 this embodiment. The way a single parameter is displayed in Figure 10 can depend on the display attributes, such as the arrangement of text, the use of a drop-down text box, etc. For example, the position of the parameter identifier 907 above the parameter value 908 and the use of the drop-down text box 910 can be information included in the set of display attributes for the parameter 907. In one embodiment, the display attributes of the selected device parameter can belong to the menu view containing the selected device parameter. For example, the placement of the parameter label 907 and the use of the drop-down box 910 can be related to Figure 7The same as that in. In different embodiments, as described above, different sets of display attributes can be used for the display characteristics of device parameters selected from search results.

[0045] Although Figure 10 the quick view 900 shows a single selected device parameter, if the selected device parameter has related parameters that are specified to be read or modified together, then the set of related parameters can be displayed in the quick view along with the selected device parameter. In some embodiments, these related variables or parameters can be described as having a WRITE AS ONE relationship. However, it should be noted that the display of multiple WRITE AS ONE parameters may still only represent a part of the complete device parameter screen or view. Therefore, compared with displaying the complete device parameter screen or view, displaying the quick view may require less rendering time and shorter latency.

[0046] Figure 11 Illustrates a block diagram of a method or process for using a user interface search function to locate desired device parameters specified by an EDD. The method can be implemented in a system such as Figure 1 the system shown or Figure 2 the system shown and the like. At block 1101, the computing device can query a set of device parameters associated with an electronic device having an Electronic Device Description (EDD). In some embodiments, the set of device parameters can include an index of parameter identifiers. The identifier can be a text character that uniquely identifies or names the parameter. In another embodiment, the getAllParameters() function can be created by modifying an existing set of EDD functions and / or by inserting a new set of functions into the EDD file. The getAllParameters() function can query the index of parameters stored in the EDD file of the electronic device. In another embodiment, the getAllParameters() function can query the electronic device for the index of all its device parameters. In yet another embodiment, the getAllParameters() function can query a storage medium associated with the electronic device (such as a device database) for the set of device parameters. Generally, as specified by the EDD file of the target device or based on what is queried from the storage medium for the electronic device, the getAllParameters() function can provide a set of all the main text identifiers of each device parameter or function associated with the target device. In some embodiments, the storage medium can be the memory of the electronic device.

[0047] At block 1102, the method and system can apply a first search algorithm to the result of the getAllParameters() function based on a search string input by a user. The first search algorithm can be adapted to find a character-by-character match between the user search string and the indices of device parameters from the getAllParameters() function. The first search algorithm can output a first set of parameter results that includes each parameter of the target device that has a text identifier that matches or partially matches the user search string. At block 1103, the method and system can display a simple list of the first set of parameter results, where only simple text can be displayed to indicate the first set of parameter results.

[0048] In some implementations, in addition to device parameter identifiers, calling the getAllParameters() function may inseparably provide attributes and parameters, such as a layout object or a collection of display characteristics. An example is that calling the getAllParameters() function results in additional parameters and functionality related to a device parameter view that is referenced or indexed to the device parameters. In another example, a device parameter (e.g., "sensor type") may inseparably include graphical elements, such as the position of the parameter on a GUI, the color, texture, or whether it will be displayed as a graphical object (e.g., a graph, chart, table, image, etc.) of how the parameter should be displayed. This may be the case in embodiments where the getAllParameters() function is obtained by modifying an existing set of EDD functions that have been programmed to return additional display parameters and functions. In some cases, the additional display data can be a product of the way the electronic device communicates with the EDD engine to obtain parameter data. For example, the device can be programmed to always provide display characteristic data along with parameter or device functionality data.

[0049] At block 1103, the claimed method and system can display a list of the first parameter result set without presenting display characteristics attributable to or associated with the first parameter result set. In some embodiments, the first parameter result set can be displayed without presenting additional display components obtained from the EDD file or from a query of device parameters. For example, the first parameter result set can include display attributes that are part of a set of device parameters queried by the getAllParameters() function at block 1101. Block 1103 can forego presenting these display attributes in the first parameter result set. Generally, the process of presentation may involve one or more display characteristics of an element (such as the color and texture of how a device parameter is displayed) to produce a visual representation of the element. In these embodiments, the method and system can present a simple text list of the first parameter result set by using the default system display characteristics used by the host system or the default display attributes of a markup language (such as XML or JSON) used by the EDD engine to provide a visual representation of the EDD parameters and functions to the HMI.

[0050] Generally, presenting additional graphical specifications or display characteristics for the first parameter result set can be a problem because presenting additional display data may require additional processing power and increase the latency in providing search results to the user's display device. For example, an EDD file can contain very complex graphical specifications for a particular parameter. By foregoing presenting additional display characteristics, the time required to obtain the result set and provide a readable display of the first parameter result set can be significantly reduced.

[0051] In some embodiments, block 1103 can be performed by modifying the EDD engine or interpreter. In these embodiments, the method at block 1103 can display a list of the first parameter result set without presenting display characteristics by programming the EDD engine to forego including display characteristics in the results of the getAllParameters() function. In one embodiment, this can be performed by filtering out the additional display characteristics, leaving only a bare set of text parameter identifiers for display. Because some EDD interpreters may take a long time to generate results, processing block 1103 can accelerate the response time required to display the results of an initial device parameter query to the user. The user may only need to identify the closest match in the first parameter result set for further investigation or final selection, and this can be done using a simple text list of the first parameter result set.

[0052] In addition, an EDD-based search or query can involve communication between the EDD engine / interpreter and the electronic device (e.g., to request actual parameter values). Abandoning the rendering process for transforming display characteristics can also prevent communication with the device, and communication with the device can increase latency. In other words, to present certain views of the parameters, the EDD engine may need to communicate with or query the electronic device to obtain certain parameters or parameter values, or initiate or execute certain logic within the electronic device itself, resulting in additional latency in the time required to send a query to the device (e.g., over a slow communication line) and the time required for the device to process the reply communication or query.

[0053] At block 1104, the user can select a specific device parameter, and the described system can receive the user selection. In one embodiment, the user can select a single desired parameter from a first set of parameter results. The user selection can be received by an input device of a user interface such as a keyboard or a mouse. In one embodiment, the user can click on a desired device parameter from the first set of parameter results. For example, the user can select one of the parameters listed in Figure 6A . In another embodiment, additional searches can be performed until the user selects a device parameter from an additional set of search results, as shown in Figure 9 .

[0054] At block 1105, the described method and system can query a second set of parameter results based on the user selection at block 1104. The query can return the display attributes of the device parameter selected by the user. The query can also request the current parameter value of the device parameter selected by the user from the electronic device. Due to the high latency in some connections to electronic devices such as field devices, in one embodiment, only the attributes and values for the device parameter selected by the user can be queried or obtained from the electronic device. The query can return values for use in Figure 10The information of the device parameters selected by the user is displayed in the quick view shown. The quick view may include solely the device parameters selected by the user, or may include the device parameters selected by the user and any associated write-as-one parameters of the device parameters selected by the user. The quick view may be considered as a view of a single device parameter that is part of the process described. The quick view may be separate and distinct from any sequential menu views specified by the EDD as part of the hierarchical menu-driven access process described above. In one embodiment, block 1105 may query the display attributes of the selected device parameter that pertains to the device parameter menu screen. In another embodiment, block 1105 may query the display attributes that do not pertain to the device parameter menu screen. It should be noted that the device parameter menu screen may be programmed or specified by the EDD as part of the manufacturer default program, and the methods described herein may be implemented as an add-on program to an existing EDD or as an additional EDD. Thus, in one implementation, the search function described may manipulate the existing functionality of the EDD provided by the manufacturer, where the quick view representing a view different from the manufacturer-specified device screen may use display attributes not included in the manufacturer-specified device screen.

[0055] In one embodiment, certain conditions may be implemented to check whether to forgo displaying the device parameter menu specified by the EDD and, instead, display a minimal presentation view, such as the quick view. For example, in an embodiment where the network latency is determined to be high and / or the processing capability of the electronic device is low (e.g., a legacy field device), block 1105 may automatically forgo presenting the device parameter view from the existing EDD menu hierarchy when performing the search function described and instead complete the search using only one or more parameters and their co-parameters of write as one.

[0056] In one embodiment, block 1105 may include obtaining the menu device parameter screen or view specified by a portion of the default menu series specified by the EDD and the EDD, as described above. The device parameter view specified by the EDD (e.g., Figure 3 and Figure 4Those shown (etc.) can consist of a complete set of parameters and information on how to display those parameters on a graphical user interface (GUI). The EDD specification can contain instructions or data that indicate, for example, the position, color, texture, shape, etc. of device parameters relative to each other, and the EDD specification can include additional graphical elements (such as graphs, charts, and tables) in which to display one or more device parameters. In one embodiment, the first set of parameter results can include a link to the device parameter screen, thereby reducing the need to search from scratch for the device parameter view. In one embodiment, the device parameter screen can be defined by a database view or database table, and the link can be an identifier of the view or table. In some embodiments, the parameter information required for the device parameter screen or view can be obtained from a markup language file generated based on the EDD file. For example, in one embodiment, box 1105 can search by traversing an XML or JSON file representing the device menu containing the selected device parameters to obtain the display attributes for the selected device parameters. However, it should be noted that in some embodiments, additional parameters of the device parameter screen may need to be searched or queried in order to provide a complete view for display or presentation. Box 1105 can perform the acquisition of the device parameter view and the query of any additional parameters or current parameter values necessary to present the device parameter view (e.g., initiate communication with the device corresponding to the EDD to obtain the current parameter value or initiate a method of calculation performed by the device to obtain the parameter value). In one embodiment, box 1105 can initiate an update of the database view that contains information designed to be displayed in the device parameter view. In one embodiment, box 1105 can query the view without updating the view, where updating the view can include communicating with the electronic device to read the current parameter value or calculate and process certain parameter values. Querying an un-updated database view or a updated database view may consume more processing power compared to a limited parameter query such as a query based on the above-mentioned quick view (for a single parameter or a single parameter including write as one related parameters).

[0057] At box 1106, a rendering function or program can be used to render the device parameter screen containing the selected or desired device parameters. In some embodiments, the desired parameters, such as Figure 7 element 361 in, can be highlighted in the rendered device parameter screen. In some embodiments, only the parameters selected by the user (e.g., quick view) are displayed in box 1106. In this embodiment, box 1106 can still render what is obtained from box 1105 and in Figure 10The display characteristics of the user-selected parameters shown in [figure]. In this embodiment, the additional processing box may include: separately receiving, in box 1106, the user preference for a quick view of the device parameters selected by the user, or receiving a view that includes a menu or other parameters, where the menu or other parameters include the device parameters selected by the user. In some embodiments, the user preference may determine whether the process at box 1105 will separately query information for the device parameters selected by the user, or query information for multiple device parameters and device parameter values for an existing menu device parameter view that includes the device parameters selected by the user. It should be noted that for high-latency devices or devices connected via slow communication lines, the described method may use abandoning the acquisition and presentation of views of other parameters with a standard hierarchical menu that the user may not be interested in to reduce the response time for accessing the device parameters selected by the user. Instead, the process may only acquire and present information for only displaying the device parameters selected by the user.

[0058] As described above, the EDD file may contain various instructions on how to display a set of parameters or a menu. This may include the position of each parameter, GUI components (such as containers, drop-down menus, list boxes, etc.), and colors, textures, contrast between components, text fields, buttons, check boxes, combo boxes, labels, lists, text fields, etc. When the EDD engine or interpreter processes the EDD file, the EDD engine may generate a visual representation file of the device parameter screen specified in the EDD. In one embodiment, the visual representation file may be a set of pages written in a markup language, such as an Extensible Markup Language (XML) page or a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) page. At box 1106, the XML or JSON file may be displayed on a user interface similar to a web browser. At box 1106, a user interface device parameter screen may be displayed, including all images, graphics, charts, tables, and other display objects. The described search function may be used to bypass intermediate sequential hierarchical menu screens (e.g., Figures 3 - 4 ) to access the desired parameters or a device screen that includes the desired parameters.

[0059] The described processes and methods may be implemented using one or more components of a process control device access system based on EDD. For example, certain functional blocks may be executed in one component of the EDD system, while other functional blocks may be executed in different components of the EDD system. The following are exemplary implementations of the above processes and methods.

[0060] In one embodiment, an existing EDD for a process control device can be modified by, for example, inserting programming code for performing the above-described search function. In this embodiment, additional device parameter specifications, business logic, and / or user interface description (UID) code can be inserted into the already existing EDD to implement the search function. In this embodiment, the search function can become a part of the user interface specified by the EDD. In a particular embodiment of using an FDI system, an existing EDD can be modified to include the search function as part of the user interface description (UID) of the EDD.

[0061] In one embodiment, the EDD engine can be modified to implement the described search function without modifying the EDD file provided by the existing device manufacturer. In one instance, the EDD engine can be programmed to execute additional program modules adapted to include the above-described search function. For example, when the EDD engine loads or interprets the EDD of a particular device, the EDD engine can be adapted to execute functions for that device, such as the getAllParameters() function. Then, the EDD engine or interpreter can continue to execute the other processing blocks described above to establish a visual representation (e.g., via a collection of XML or JSON pages) of the user search interface for the device.

[0062] In one embodiment, the search function can be implemented as a display overlay on top of the visual representation specified by the manufacturer in the EDD file. For example, in Figure 5 the display shown, the user interface specified by the device manufacturer can include window elements 202 - 220, while the search window 280 or 282 is an overlay generated by the EDD engine. In this way, the EDD engine can be adapted to use the functions exposed by the EDD of the device to perform the claimed search process. In other words, in one embodiment, the EDD engine can implement the search function by calling functions specified by the EDD (e.g., the getAllParameters() function), then manipulating the result set as described in the above methods and processes, and generating a visual representation in XML or JSON form for display as the search user interface.

[0063] In one embodiment related to an FDI system in a process control plant, the FDI device package can be modified to include a UIP component that performs the described search function. For example, in the case where the existing EDD provides exposed functions that can be accessed by the UIP or other host processor programs, the described processes and methods can be implemented in the UIP. The UIP can initiate, for example, a getAllParameters() type function provided by the UID via a graphical user interface at the FDI client. Then, the other blocks 1102 - 1106 can be executed or initiated by a host process on the client computing device that also runs the UIP.

[0064] In another embodiment related to the FDI system, the described method may be implemented in the UID, UIP, or a combination of UID and UIP. For example, the search function may be partially implemented in the UID using EDDL, where the remaining enhanced search functions are written into the UIP. In one embodiment, the UID may include a function that starts a getAllParameters() type function and provides a list of device parameters and functions in a common container (e.g., a text box). In this embodiment, the UIP may be programmed as described above to filter, query, and search for parameters in the text box.

[0065] The following additional considerations apply to the foregoing discussion. Throughout the specification, actions described as being performed by any device or routine generally refer to actions or processes in which a processor manipulates or transforms data in accordance with machine-readable instructions. The machine-readable instructions may be stored on and retrieved from a memory device communicatively coupled to the processor. That is, the methods described herein may be embodied by a set of machine-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium (i.e., on a memory device). When the instructions are executed by one or more processors of a corresponding device (e.g., a server, a user interface device, etc.), the processors cause the methods to be executed. When instructions, routines, modules, processes, services, programs, and / or applications are referred to herein as being stored or saved on a computer-readable memory or a computer-readable medium, the words "store" and "save" are intended to exclude transient signals.

[0066] Furthermore, although terms such as "operator", "personnel", "person", "user", "technician", and other similar terms are used to describe the people in a process plant environment who may use or interact with the systems, devices, and methods described herein, these terms are not intended to be restrictive. When a particular term is used in the specification, the use of that term is, in part, due to traditional activities in which plant personnel participate, but is not intended to limit the people who may participate in that particular activity.

[0067] Additionally, throughout the specification, multiple instances may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single instance. Although the individual operations of one or more methods are shown and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed simultaneously, and the operations need not be performed in the order shown. Structures and functions presented as separate components in an exemplary configuration may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functions presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter herein.

[0068] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the discussions in this document use terms such as "processing", "computing", "accounting", "determining", "identifying", "presenting", "causing to be presented", "causing to be displayed", "displaying", which may refer to actions or processes of a machine (e.g., a computer) that manipulates or transforms data representing physical (e.g., electrical, magnetic, biological, or optical) quantities in one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or other machine components that receive, store, transmit, or display information.

[0069] When implemented in software, any applications, services, and engines described herein can be stored in any tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory, such as stored on a disk, a laser disk, a solid-state memory device, a molecular memory device, or other storage media, stored in the RAM or ROM of a computer or a processor, and so on. Although the exemplary systems disclosed herein are disclosed as including software and / or firmware executed on hardware and other components, it should be noted that such systems are merely illustrative and should not be considered restrictive. For example, it can be expected that any one or all of these hardware, software, and firmware components can be embodied solely in hardware, solely in software, or in any combination of hardware and software. Therefore, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that the provided examples are not the only ways to implement such systems.

[0070] Accordingly, although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, these examples are only intended to be illustrative and not limiting of the invention, and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that changes, additions, or deletions can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0071] It should also be understood that unless a term is expressly defined by reciting the sentence "As used herein, the term '______' is hereby defined to mean..." or a similar sentence in this patent, there is no intent to limit the meaning of the term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its ordinary or customary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of any statement made in any portion of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the beginning of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, this is done merely for clarity so as not to confuse the reader and is not intended to limit such claim terms to that single meaning by implication or otherwise. Finally, unless the words "means" are recited and no structure for performing the recited function is stated, there is no intent to interpret the scope of any claim element based on the use of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) and / or the sixth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 112.

[0072] In addition, although the foregoing text sets forth a detailed description of many different embodiments, it should be understood that the scope of the patent is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the beginning of this patent. The detailed description should be construed as merely exemplary and does not describe every possible embodiment, as it would be impractical to describe every possible embodiment, if not impossible. Many alternative embodiments can be implemented using current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent application, and these will still fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for displaying parameters of an electronic device, the electronic device having an Electronic Device Description (EDD) that is interpreted by an EDD interpreter executing on a host computing device, the host computing device being communicatively coupled to at least the electronic device, the method comprising: Querying a set of device parameters associated with the electronic device; Applying a first search algorithm to the set of device parameters based on a first user search string to produce a first set of parameter results; Displaying the first set of parameter results without presenting display attributes associated with the first set of parameter results obtained from querying the set of device parameters, wherein displaying the first set of parameter results without presenting display attributes associated with the first set of parameter results includes: displaying text characters of parameter identifiers of the first set of parameter results without presenting display attributes specified in a markup language file generated based on the EDD; Receiving a user-selected device parameter; Querying a second set of parameter results based on the user-selected device parameter; and Displaying the second set of parameter results, which includes display attributes associated with the second set of parameter results, wherein the display attributes associated with the second set of parameter results include display attributes specified in the markup language file generated based on the EDD.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein Querying the second set of parameter results includes: querying display attributes of the user-selected device parameter and requesting a current value of the user-selected device parameter from the electronic device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The display attributes are separate and different from display attributes based on an ordered menu screen view.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein Querying the second set of parameter results includes: querying a view for display attributes of the user-selected device parameter and requesting a current value of the user-selected device parameter from the electronic device, wherein the display attributes describe a visual representation of the user-selected device parameter in the view, and wherein the view includes a plurality of device parameters.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: Displaying the user-selected device parameter with view display attributes and a current value of the user-selected parameter without presenting the entire view that includes the selected device parameter.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Obtaining a view defined by at least a subset of device parameters of the electronic device and a set of display attributes for each device parameter in the subset of device parameters, wherein the user-selected device parameter is one of the device parameters of the view, and wherein querying the second set of parameter results includes: sending a request to the electronic device for current values of the set of device parameters included in the view.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The set of device parameters includes a set of attributes, the set of attributes including a parameter name, a parameter type, and a parameter identifier, and wherein obtaining the view includes: querying an identifier of the view based on the parameter identifier associated with the user-selected device parameter.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Displaying the second set of parameter results includes: displaying a current value of the user-selected device parameter.

9. The method according to claim 7 further comprises: Filter the first parameter result set according to a parameter type, where the parameter type indicates an EDD layout object in a set of EDD layout objects, and the set of EDD layout objects includes parameters, windows, dialog boxes, groups, pages, charts, graphics, menus, grids, actions, and user interface plug-in (UIP) controls.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Displaying the first parameter result set and displaying the second parameter result set includes: rendering one of an Extensible Markup Language (XML) page or a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) page generated by the EDD interpreter based on the EDD.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein Querying a set of device parameters associated with the electronic device includes: modifying the EDD interpreter to traverse the markup language file generated based on the EDD for searching.

12. The method according to claim 1 further comprises: Store the first user search string in a cache of search strings, apply a third search algorithm to the cache of search strings based on user input to generate a list of search suggestions, and display the list of search suggestions.

13. A computing device for accessing parameters of an electronic device, the electronic device being communicatively coupled to the computing device, the computing device comprising: An Electronic Device Description (EDD) file, written in an Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) and adapted to specify a sequence of device parameter views, where each device parameter view contains a set of parameters of the electronic device; An EDD interpreter for communicating with the electronic device and adapted to convert the sequence of views specified by the EDD into a set of markup language files, where the markup language files include at least one of an Extensible Markup Language (XML) page or a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) page; A user interface for communicating with the interpreter and adapted to receive the markup language files, adapted to present a user interface on a display device based on the markup language files, and adapted to receive input from a user; and A rendering component adapted to: Query a set of device parameters associated with the electronic device; Apply a first search algorithm to the set of device parameters based on a first user input to produce a first parameter result set; Display the first parameter result set without presenting display characteristics associated with the first parameter result set obtained from querying the set of device parameters, where displaying the first parameter result set without presenting display characteristics associated with the first parameter result set includes: displaying text characters of parameter identifiers of the first parameter result set without presenting display characteristics specified in the markup language file generated based on the EDD; Receive a device parameter selected by the user; Query a second parameter result set based on the device parameter selected by the user; and Display the second parameter result set, which includes presenting display characteristics of parameters of the second parameter result set, where the display characteristics of the parameters of the second parameter result set include display characteristics specified in the markup language file generated based on the EDD.

14. The computing device according to claim 13, wherein, The EDD file is adapted to implement the rendering component as part of a user interface description (UID) of the EDD.

15. The computing device according to claim 13, wherein, The electronic device is a field device in a process plant, the EDD is a component of an FDI device package compliant with the Field Device Integration (FDI) standard, and the EDD interpreter is an FDI EDD engine, and wherein the user interface is adapted to execute the rendering component as part of a user interface plug-in (UIP) component received from the FDI EDD engine, and wherein the UIP component is adapted to be executed by the computing device operating system.

16. The computing device according to claim 13, wherein, The rendering component is adapted to be executed in part by a user interface description (UID) of the EDD, wherein the UID is adapted to initiate a query for the set of device parameters.

17. The computing device according to claim 16, wherein, The rendering component is adapted to be executed in part in a user interface plug-in (UIP) executed by the computing device operating system, wherein the UIP is adapted to apply the first search algorithm to the set of device parameters.

18. The computing device according to claim 13, wherein, The EDD interpreter is adapted to execute the rendering component on a set of the markup language files generated based on the EDD file.

19. A system for accessing field device parameters of a process control system using an electronic device description to specify a communication interface between a field device and a workstation, the workstation being remote from the field device and communicatively coupled to the field device, the system comprising: A server including an electronic device description engine (EDD engine) that stores at least one electronic device description (EDD) corresponding to the field device, wherein the workstation is adapted to receive a markup language file generated by the EDD engine based on the electronic device description for presenting a view, wherein the view includes a plurality of parameters to be presented on a single displayable window; and A rendering component adapted to: Query a set of device parameters associated with the electronic device; Apply a first search algorithm to the set of device parameters based on a first user input to produce a first set of parameter results; Display the first set of parameter results to the user without presenting display characteristics of the first set of parameter results obtained from querying the set of device parameters, wherein displaying the first set of parameter results to the user without presenting the display characteristics of the first set of parameter results includes: displaying text characters of parameter identifiers of the first set of parameter results without presenting display characteristics specified in a markup language file generated based on the EDD; Receive a device parameter selected by the user; Query a second set of parameter results based on the device parameter selected by the user; and Display the second set of parameter results, which includes presenting display characteristics of the parameters of the second set of parameter results, wherein the display characteristics of the parameters of the second set of parameter results include display characteristics specified in the markup language file generated based on the EDD.

Images