Patents by Inventor Stephen G. Hammack
Stephen G. Hammack has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11650718Abstract: Flexible graphic element objects in a process plant are configurable both in a run-time operating environment in which a process is being controlled and in a configuration environment. An instantiated flexible graphic element object may be a display view or may be another graphic element included on a display view. A graphic element object may be linked to and/or derived from another graphic element object, and changes to a particular graphic element object may be propagated to its derivations, e.g., according to a distribution policy. Changes to definitions corresponding to a particular graphic element object (e.g., to the definition of a graphic element attribute such as a shape, animation, event handler or property) may be overridden or modified in another object derived from the particular graphic element object. The modified derived object may be renamed and saved separately from the particular graphic element object.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew J. Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt
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Patent number: 11599251Abstract: Flexible graphic element objects in a process plant are configurable both in a run-time operating environment in which a process is being controlled and in a configuration environment. An instantiated flexible graphic element object may be a display view or may be another graphic element included on a display view. A graphic element object may be linked to and/or derived from another graphic element object, and changes to a particular graphic element object may be propagated to its derivations, e.g., according to a distribution policy. Changes to definitions corresponding to a particular graphic element object (e.g., to the definition of a graphic element attribute such as a shape, animation, event handler or property) may be overridden or modified in another object derived from the particular graphic element object. The modified derived object may be renamed and saved separately from the particular graphic element object.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2020Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INCInventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew J. Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt
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Patent number: 11243677Abstract: A graphical display configuration system of a process control system provides features within the configuration environment that allow a user to create, define, edit, and easily preview the runtime appearance and/or runtime behavior of graphical elements and/or graphical displays in-line with the configuration workflow of the user, without having to compile and/or download draft graphical configurations into the operating environment of a process plant supported by the process control system, and/or without requiring specialized scripts to be implemented within the operating environment of the process plant. Previews of runtime appearances and/or runtime behaviors of draft configurations of graphical elements and/or graphical displays (that are eventually to be executed within the operating environment of the process control system) are able to generated and presented exclusively within the configuration environment, e.g., for testing and/or verification.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Daniel R. Strinden, Julian K. Naidoo, Cindy A. Scott, Adrian A. Sanchez, Camilo Fadul, Cristopher Ian Sarmiento Uy, Robert B. Havekost, Stephen G. Hammack, Matthew Joseph Sullivan
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Patent number: 11216159Abstract: A configuration element is presented on a configuration display view for configuring a graphic element object. The graphic element object is to be instantiated on a process control display view, and corresponds to a process entity in a process plant. The configuration element object has a set of properties for an attributed of the graphic element object and includes a link to a configuration display object from which the configuration display view is instantiated. The instantiation of the configuration element object includes a visual representation of the set of properties for the attribute of the graphic element object, and a link to the graphic element object to send data corresponding to a property configured in the configuration element from the set of properties. The configured property corresponds to at least one configured attribute of the graphic element.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2017Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Julian K. Naidoo, Daniel R. Strinden, Robert B. Havekost, Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew Joseph Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt, Roberta Coffman
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Patent number: 11054974Abstract: Techniques for assessing the completeness of a graphical display configuration of a process plant include receiving or obtaining a list of expected display views to be included in the draft of the process plant's graphical configuration or a portion thereof. For each expected display view, a graphical display configuration application obtains a list of expected control references corresponding to the display view and determines whether the control references are included in the display view, whether the control references are configured and stored in a control configuration database, and/or whether related display views corresponding to the control references are configured.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2018Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Julian K. Naidoo, Daniel R. Strinden, Cristopher Ian Sarmiento Uy, Camilo Fadul, Jon Westbrock, Stephen G. Hammack, Drew T. Noah
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Publication number: 20200319767Abstract: Flexible graphic element objects in a process plant are configurable both in a run-time operating environment in which a process is being controlled and in a configuration environment. An instantiated flexible graphic element object may be a display view or may be another graphic element included on a display view. A graphic element object may be linked to and/or derived from another graphic element object, and changes to a particular graphic element object may be propagated to its derivations, e.g., according to a distribution policy. Changes to definitions corresponding to a particular graphic element object (e.g., to the definition of a graphic element attribute such as a shape, animation, event handler or property) may be overridden or modified in another object derived from the particular graphic element object. The modified derived object may be renamed and saved separately from the particular graphic element object.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2020Publication date: October 8, 2020Inventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew J. Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt
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Patent number: 10768598Abstract: A graphical display configuration system of a process control system provides features within the configuration environment so that the runtime appearance and/or runtime behavior of graphical elements and/or graphical display views (or portions thereof) are able to be validated and/or verified in-line with their configuration workflows wholly within the configuration environment, without having to publish, compile, and/or download draft graphical configurations into the operating environment of a process plant supported by the process control system, and/or without requiring specialized scripts to be implemented within the operating environment of the process plant. The validation may be based on data provided from one or more sources external to the draft display view configuration, e.g., from the configuration and/or the operating environment.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Daniel R. Strinden, Julian K. Naidoo, Robert B. Havekost, Stephen G. Hammack, Matthew Joseph Sullivan
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Publication number: 20200225821Abstract: Flexible graphic element objects in a process plant are configurable both in a run-time operating environment in which a process is being controlled and in a configuration environment. An instantiated flexible graphic element object may be a display view or may be another graphic element included on a display view. A graphic element object may be linked to and/or derived from another graphic element object, and changes to a particular graphic element object may be propagated to its derivations, e.g., according to a distribution policy. Changes to definitions corresponding to a particular graphic element object (e.g., to the definition of a graphic element attribute such as a shape, animation, event handler or property) may be overridden or modified in another object derived from the particular graphic element object. The modified derived object may be renamed and saved separately from the particular graphic element object.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2020Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew J. Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt
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Patent number: 10691311Abstract: Flexible graphic element objects in a process plant are configurable both in a run-time operating environment in which a process is being controlled and in a configuration environment. An instantiated flexible graphic element object may be a display view or may be another graphic element included on a display view. A graphic element object may be linked to and/or derived from another graphic element object, and changes to a particular graphic element object may be propagated to its derivations, e.g., according to a distribution policy. Changes to definitions corresponding to a particular graphic element object (e.g., to the definition of a graphic element attribute such as a shape, animation, event handler or property) may be overridden or modified in another object derived from the particular graphic element object. The modified derived object may be renamed and saved separately from the particular graphic element object.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew J. Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt
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Publication number: 20190102072Abstract: A graphical display configuration system of a process control system provides features within the configuration environment that allow a user to create, define, edit, and easily preview the runtime appearance and/or runtime behavior of graphical elements and/or graphical displays in-line with the configuration workflow of the user, without having to compile and/or download draft graphical configurations into the operating environment of a process plant supported by the process control system, and/or without requiring specialized scripts to be implemented within the operating environment of the process plant. Previews of runtime appearances and/or runtime behaviors of draft configurations of graphical elements and/or graphical displays (that are eventually to be executed within the operating environment of the process control system) are able to generated and presented exclusively within the configuration environment, e.g., for testing and/or verification.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Daniel R. Strinden, Julian K. Naidoo, Cindy A. Scott, Adrian A. Sanchez, Camilo Fadul, Cristopher Ian Sarmiento Uy, Robert B. Havekost, Stephen G. Hammack, Matthew Joseph Sullivan
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Publication number: 20190102068Abstract: Techniques for assessing the completeness of a graphical display configuration of a process plant include receiving or obtaining a list of expected display views to be included in the draft of the process plant's graphical configuration or a portion thereof. For each expected display view, a graphical display configuration application obtains a list of expected control references corresponding to the display view and determines whether the control references are included in the display view, whether the control references are configured and stored in a control configuration database, and/or whether related display views corresponding to the control references are configured.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Julian K. Naidoo, Daniel R. Strinden, Cristopher Ian Sarmiento Uy, Camilo Fadul, Jon Westbrock, Stephen G. Hammack, Drew Noah
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Publication number: 20190101882Abstract: A graphical display configuration system of a process control system provides features within the configuration environment so that the runtime appearance and/or runtime behavior of graphical elements and/or graphical display views (or portions thereof) are able to be validated and/or verified in-line with their configuration workflows wholly within the configuration environment, without having to publish, compile, and/or download draft graphical configurations into the operating environment of a process plant supported by the process control system, and/or without requiring specialized scripts to be implemented within the operating environment of the process plant. The validation may be based on data provided from one or more sources external to the draft display view configuration, e.g., from the configuration and/or the operating environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Daniel R. Strinden, Julian K. Naidoo, Robert B. Havekost, Stephen G. Hammack, Matthew Joseph Sullivan
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Publication number: 20180046339Abstract: A configuration element is presented on a configuration display view for configuring a graphic element object. The graphic element object is to be instantiated on a process control display view, and corresponds to a process entity in a process plant. The configuration element object has a set of properties for an attributed of the graphic element object and includes a link to a configuration display object from which the configuration display view is instantiated. The instantiation of the configuration element object includes a visual representation of the set of properties for the attribute of the graphic element object, and a link to the graphic element object to send data corresponding to a property configured in the configuration element from the set of properties. The configured property corresponds to at least one configured attribute of the graphic element.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2017Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventors: Julian K. Naidoo, Daniel R. Strinden, Robert B. Havekost, Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew Joseph Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt, Roberta Coffman
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Publication number: 20170364225Abstract: Flexible graphic element objects in a process plant are configurable both in a run-time operating environment in which a process is being controlled and in a configuration environment. An instantiated flexible graphic element object may be a display view or may be another graphic element included on a display view. A graphic element object may be linked to and/or derived from another graphic element object, and changes to a particular graphic element object may be propagated to its derivations, e.g., according to a distribution policy. Changes to definitions corresponding to a particular graphic element object (e.g., to the definition of a graphic element attribute such as a shape, animation, event handler or property) may be overridden or modified in another object derived from the particular graphic element object. The modified derived object may be renamed and saved separately from the particular graphic element object.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew J. Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt
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Patent number: 9830299Abstract: A selector shape may serve as the background to a configurable composite shape and may include one or more expressions that are evaluated to select between several composite shape definitions via links to the definition. Each selector shape includes an animation expression and a lookup table converter to select an identifier of the composite definition to be loaded and displayed. When the value of the animation expression changes, the value may be matched to the name of a new composite definition using the lookup table, and the new definition may be displayed. The previously-used composite definition may then be marked for removal by a caching system, and removed. These selector shapes also enable the same graphic element to be used in displays designed for different types of display devices, such as display devices having large display screens, standard computer screens and very small display screens.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2012Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Bruce Hubert Campney, Stephen G. Hammack, Ken J. Beoughter
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Patent number: 9792004Abstract: Flexible graphic element objects in a process plant are configurable both in a run-time operating environment in which a process is being controlled and in a configuration environment. An instantiated flexible graphic element object may be a display view or may be another graphic element included on a display view. A graphic element object may be linked to and/or derived from another graphic element object, and changes to a particular graphic element object may be propagated to its derivations, e.g., according to a distribution policy. Changes to definitions corresponding to a particular graphic element object (e.g., to the definition of a graphic element attribute such as a shape, animation, event handler or property) may be overridden or modified in another object derived from the particular graphic element object. The modified derived object may be renamed and saved separately from the particular graphic element object.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2013Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Stephen C. Gilbert, Matthew J. Sullivan, Larry O. Jundt
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Patent number: 9285795Abstract: A common process control graphical user interface plant operators, plant maintenance personnel, and management is disclosed which provides a real-time interface to both the process and the plant. The common interface is modular in design and is capable of supporting various specializations for each user type. Operator consoles are dedicated to each section of the plant and include additional functions such as maintenance, configuration, simulation and supervisory information. The unified for common graphical interface replaces control room displays filled with single case analog controllers, meters, and digital indicators. The common interface addresses the functions that previously were provided by the panel motor start/stop buttons and status indications, chart recorders, annunciator panels and subsystem interfaces.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2011Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Mark J. Nixon, Stephen G. Hammack, Bruce Campney, Ken Beoughter, J. Michael Lucas, Stephen Gilbert
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Patent number: 9244451Abstract: A common process control graphical user interface plant operators, plant maintenance personnel, and management is disclosed which provides a real-time interface to both the process and the plant. The common interface is modular in design and is capable of supporting various specializations for each user type. Operator consoles are dedicated to each section of the plant and include additional functions such as maintenance, configuration, simulation and supervisory information. The unified for common graphical interface replaces control room displays filled with single case analog controllers, meters, and digital indicators. The common interface addresses the functions that previously were provided by the panel motor start/stop buttons and status indications, chart recorders, annunciator panels and subsystem interfaces.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2011Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Mark J. Nixon, Stephen G. Hammack, Bruce Campney, Ken Beoughter, J. Michael Lucas, Stephen Gilbert
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Patent number: 8881039Abstract: Parameters associated with sub-elements of a composite shape may determine how the sub-element is scaled during resizing of the composite shape. A graphical display editor may use the scaling parameters to calculate various scaling factors that are then applied to the sub-elements of each composite shape during resizing. The editor may apply the scaling parameters to the sub-elements for resizing in one or more axes (e.g., the length, width, and height or X, Y, and Z axes, etc.) to adjust the composite shape for a particular graphical display. The editor may apply the scaling parameters directly to each sub-element to prevent any distortion of those sub-elements. The configured scaling parameters may then be linked to the composite shape so that, at runtime, the parameters are applied to the composite shape and its sub-elements. The scaling parameters may be applied to both composite shapes and animations associated with the composite shapes.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2009Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.Inventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Bruce H. Campney, Stephen C. Gilbert, Adrian A. Sanchez
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Patent number: 8756517Abstract: Parameters associated with sub-elements of a composite shape may determine how the sub-element is scaled during resizing of the composite shape. A graphical display editor may use the scaling parameters to calculate various scaling factors that are then applied to the sub-elements of each composite shape during resizing. The editor may apply the scaling parameters to the sub-elements for resizing in one or more axes (e.g., the length, width, and height or X, Y, and Z axes, etc.) to adjust the composite shape for a particular graphical display. The editor may apply the scaling parameters directly to each sub-element to prevent any distortion of those sub-elements. The configured scaling parameters may then be linked to the composite shape so that, at runtime, the parameters are applied to the composite shape and its sub-elements. The scaling parameters may be applied to both composite shapes and animations associated with the composite shapes.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2009Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.Inventors: Stephen G. Hammack, Bruce H. Campney, Stephen C. Gilbert, Adrian A. Sanchez