Abstract: A device for managing and configuring field devices in an automation installation with a configuration tool that is designed to physically detect a field device in the automation installation, to logically incorporate it into the automation installation and to configure it in the automation installation, the configuration tool communicating with the field devices and ascertaining the device status thereof on a regular cycle. In order to visualize the validity of a device status ascertained in the past, each field device may have, in the configuration tool, an associated device status symbol whose appearance changes dynamically on the basis of the time elapsed (t1, t2, t3) since the time (t0) of the last update of the device status.

Abstract: A device for managing and configuring field devices in an automation installation with a configuration tool that is designed to physically detect a field device in the automation installation, to logically incorporate it into the automation installation and to configure it in the automation installation, wherein, to this end, the configuration tool resorts to a prescribed first field-device-specific information packet that describes the functions and data of the field device at least in part. In order to ascertain the origin of a system report, it is proposed that the hierarchic structure of the automation installation be mapped in the configuration tool by nested geometric figures in a screen element. On each hierarchy level, each object is represented by a geometric figure. The geometric figures of each object of a superordinate hierarchy level each form a frame around the geometric figures of the objects of the respectively subordinate hierarchy level.

Abstract: A device for managing and configuring field devices in an automation installation with a configuration tool that is designed to physically detect a field device in the automation installation, to logically incorporate it into the automation installation and to configure it in the automation installation, the configuration tool resorting for this purpose to a prescribed first field-device-specific information packet that describes the functions and data of the field device at least in part. To improve lucidity, a self-contained screen element for calling a plurality of functions of a related functional area is provided, which screen element has a plurality of sensitive subregions, each of the sensitive subregions being denoted by an individual symbol and being designed to call a function of the related functional area.

Abstract: A device for managing and configuring field devices in an automation installation with a configuration tool that is designed to physically detect a field device in the automation installation, to logically incorporate it into the automation installation and to configure it in the automation installation, the configuration tool resorting for this purpose to a prescribed first field-device-specific information packet that describes the functions and data of the field device at least in part. In order to alter the size of windows in the relationship context, the windows in a relationship context being arranged in matrix form, directly adjacently, with the window boundaries forming a lattice structure of intersecting window boundary lines, each node of the intersecting window boundary lines has an associated operator control element, the operator control element has a control area, and activation of an operator control element renders the window boundary lines intersecting at this node relocatable.

Abstract: A method and device for managing and configuring field devices in an automation installation with a configuration tool operative to physically detect a field device in the automation installation, logically incorporate it into the automation installation, and configure it in the automation installation, the configuration tool resorting for this purpose to a predefined first field-device-specific information packet which at least partially describes the functions and data of the field device and for this purpose has a predetermined set of predefined graphical elements.

Abstract: A device for managing and configuring field devices in an automation installation with a configuration tool which is operative to physically detect a field device in the automation installation, to logically incorporate it into the automation installation and to configure it in the automation installation, the configuration tool resorting for this purpose to a predefined first field-device-specific information packet which at least partially describes the functions and data of the field device and displays them in predefined screen elements. The configuration tool may be operative to individually arrange a plurality of screen elements of device-specific parameters, functions and/or graphical representations, which are predefined for display on a plurality of pages in the device-type-specific device description file, on a single device-specific page in an application-specific manner.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for conditioning a tool for configuring a freely programmable control device for integrating intelligent field devices in a control or automation system having a flexibly expandable hardware structure, in which device-related information is visualized as objects of a branched tree structure. To improve user-friendliness, recording use of these objects by the user over the service life of the control or automation system allows for determining usage frequency. Objects with a high usage frequency which are subordinate to a hierarchically superordinate object are allocated to an object list assigned to the respective superordinate object. When using the hierarchically superordinate object, the object list containing the objects with a high usage frequency which are hierarchically subordinate to this superordinate object is displayed in the tool and offered to the user for selection.