Method and system for associating parameters of containers and contained objects

Abstract

A system and method for establishing associative relationships between properties of a contained object and corresponding parameters of a container application is disclosed herein. The present system contemplates the establishment of both mutual and unilateral associative relationships, with a particular relationship being specified via a user interface created upon instantiation of the contained object. Such associative relationships may be advantageously established without modification of the code comprising the contained object. In one aspect the present system facilitates implementation of selected functionality of a container application prescribed by an event script. In this context an association is created between an event arising within a contained object instantiated in a computing environment and a script associated with the container application. An event indication is generated in response to occurrence of a particular event within the contained object. In response, the event script is invoked and a sequence of script commands corresponding to the selected functionality are carried out. In another aspect the present system provides a system and method for creating an association between a tag source of a container application and a property of a contained object. Specifically, an associative relationship is defined between the tag source and the property, such associative relationship being determinative of the extent to which changes in the tag source and property will induce corresponding changes in the other.

1 . A method for creating a persistent association between a factory automation parameter of a container application operative within a computing environment and a property of a contained object instantiated within said computing environment, wherein said property relates to attributes of said contained object and said container application is configured to provide a visual interface representative of states of said factory automation parameter, said method comprising the steps of: 
 defining a persistent associative relationship between said factory automation parameter and said property, said persistent associative relationship being determinative of the extent to which changes in said factory automation parameter and said property will induce corresponding changes in the other; and    recording said persistent associative relationship within a property sink of a control site of said container application, said control site being created upon instantiation of said contained object within said computing environment wherein said contained object facilitates provision of a visual indication of ones of said states of said factory automation parameter.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said factory automation parameter provides state information relating to at least one of said monitored parameters.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said state information is selected from the set consisting of: pressure, temperature, and flow rate.  
     
     
         4 . A system for creating a persistent association between a factory automation parameter of a container application operative within a computing environment and a property of a contained object instantiated within said computing environment, wherein said property relates to attributes of said contained object and said container application is configured to provide a visual interface representative of states of said factory automation parameter, said system comprising: 
 means for defining a persistent associative relationship between said factory automation parameter and said property, said persistent associative relationship being determinative of the extent to which changes in said factory automation parameter and said property will induce corresponding changes in the other wherein said contained object facilitates provision of a visual indication of ones of said states of said factory automation parameter; and    a control site associated with said container application, said control site including a property sink within which is recorded said persistent associative relationship.    
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein said factory automation parameter provides state information relating to at least one of said monitored parameters.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said state information is selected from the set consisting of: pressure, temperature, and flow rate.  
     
     
         7 . A method for creating a persistent association between a tag source of a container application operative within a computing environment and a property of a contained object instantiated within said computing environment, wherein said property relates to attributes of said contained object and said container application is configured to provide a visual interface representative of states of monitored parameters of an industrial process, said method comprising the steps of: 
 defining a persistent associative relationship between said tag source and said property, said persistent associative relationship being determinative of the extent to which changes in said tag source and said property will induce corresponding changes in the other; and    recording said persistent associative relationship within a property sink of a control site of said container application, said control site being created upon instantiation of said contained object within said computing environment wherein said contained object facilitates provision of a visual indication of ones of said states of at least one of said monitored parameters defined by said tag source.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said defining an associative relationship includes specifying a unilateral associative relationship permitting changes in said tag source to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property, but not permitting changes in said property to be reflected as corresponding changes in said tag source.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said defining an associative relationship includes specifying a unilateral associative relationship permitting changes in said property to be reflected as corresponding changes in said tag source, but not permitting changes in said tag source to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said defining an associative relationship includes the step of specifying a mutual associative relationship permitting changes in said tag source to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property, and vice versa.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said defining an associative relationship includes the step of selecting one of a plurality of predefined associative relationships.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said tag source provides state information relating to at least one of said monitored parameters.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said state information is selected from the set consisting of: pressure, temperature, and flow rate.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7  further including regenerating said property sink upon execution of said container application and thereby creating a regenerated property sink, said regenerated property sink recording changes to said persistent associative relationship.  
     
     
         15 . A system for creating a persistent association between a tag source of a container application operative within a computing environment and a property of a contained object instantiated within said computing environment, wherein said property relates to attributes of said contained object and said container application is configured to provide a visual interface representative of states of monitored parameters of an industrial process, said system comprising: 
 means for defining a persistent associative relationship between said tag source and said property, said persistent associative relationship being determinative of the extent to which changes in said tag source and said property will induce corresponding changes in the other wherein said contained object facilitates provision of a visual indication of ones of said states of at least one of said monitored parameters defined by said tag source; and    a control site associated with said container application, said control site including a property sink within which is recorded said persistent associative relationship.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said means for defining an associative relationship includes a user interface enabling specification of a unilateral associative relationship, said unilateral associative relationship permitting changes in said tag source to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property but not permitting changes in said property to be reflected as corresponding changes in said tag source.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said means for defining an associative relationship includes a user interface enabling specification of a unilateral associative relationship, said unilateral associative relationship permitting changes in said property to be reflected as corresponding changes in said tag source but not permitting changes in said tag source to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said means for defining an associative relationship includes a user interface enabling specification of a mutual associative relationship, said mutual associative relationship permitting changes in said tag source to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property, and vice versa.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said means for defining an associative relationship includes a user interface enabling selection of one of a plurality of predefined associative relationships.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said property sink includes a first field for storing a pointer to a tag object representative of said tag source, and a second field for storing a pointer to a property object representative of said property of said contained object.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said tag object includes a tagname field and a status field, and wherein said property object includes a field indicative of said associative relationship.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said tag source provides state information relating to at least one of said monitored parameters.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein said state information is selected from the set consisting of: pressure, temperature, and flow rate.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 15  further including means for regenerating said property sink upon execution of said container application in order to thereby create a regenerated property sink, said regenerated property sink recording changes to said persistent associative relationship.  
     
     
         25 . A system for creating a persistent association between a parameter of a container application operative within a computing environment and a property of a contained object instantiated within said computing environment, said container application being configured to provide a visual interface representative of states of monitored parameters of an industrial process, said system comprising: 
 a control site associated with said container application; and    a property sink included within said control site, said property sink recording a persistent associative relationship established between said parameter and said property during instantiation of said contained object within said computing environment wherein said contained object facilitates provision of a visual indication of ones of said states of at least one of said monitored parameters, said persistent associative relationship being determinative of the extent to which changes in said parameter and said property will induce corresponding changes in the other.    
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25  further including a user interface enabling specification of said associative relationship as a unilateral associative relationship, said unilateral associative relationship permitting changes in said parameter to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property but not permitting changes in said property to be reflected as corresponding changes in said parameter.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25  further including a user interface enabling specification of said associative relationship as a unilateral associative relationship, said unilateral associative relationship permitting changes in said property to be reflected as corresponding changes in said parameter but not permitting changes in said parameter to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25  further including a user interface enabling specification of said associative relationship as a mutual associative relationship, said mutual associative relationship permitting changes in said parameter to be reflected as corresponding changes in said property, and vice versa.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25  wherein said property sink includes a first field for storing a pointer to a tag object representative of said parameter, and a second field for storing a pointer to a property object representative of said property of said contained object.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25  further including means for regenerating said property sink upon execution of said container application in order to thereby create a regenerated property sink, said regenerated property sink recording changes to said persistent associative relationship.