Apparatus and method for automated event notification read receipt to support non-repudiated auditing or other functions in industrial process control and automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10505790-B2
Application number	US-201514868168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2015
Priority date	May 14, 2015
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A method includes transmitting a notification to a first end-user device, where the notification is associated with an event in an industrial process control and automation system. The method also includes receiving a first read receipt identifying when a user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read details about the notification at the first end-user device. In addition, the method includes storing the first read receipt or information related to the first read receipt in association with the notification and/or the event. The method could also include transmitting the notification to a second end-user device and transmitting a first indication to the second end-user device, where the first indication indicates that the user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read the details about the notification.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a notification server, an event related to at least one of an activity or condition of a component in an industrial process control and automation system;
generating, by the notification server, a notification based on the event related to the at least one of the activity or condition of the component;
transmitting, by the notification server, the notification to a first end-user device, the notification associated with the event in the industrial process control and automation system;
receiving, at the notification server, a first read receipt indicating that a user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read details about the notification at the first end-user device;
storing, at the notification server, the first read receipt or information related to the first read receipt in association with at least one of: the notification and the event;
receiving, by the notification server, a query for read receipts satisfying one or more parameters; wherein the notification server identifies any read receipts that satisfy the one or more parameters in response to the query for read receipts satisfying one or more parameters; and
receiving, by the notification server, a command corresponding to the notification from the first end-user device, wherein the command indicates that the user has assumed responsibility for the event.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the notification server, the notification to a second end-user device; and
transmitting, by the notification server, a first indication to the second end-user device, the first indication indicating that the user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read the details about the notification.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving, at the notification server, a second read receipt indicating that a user of the second end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read the details about the notification at the second end-user device; and
storing, by the notification server, the second read receipt or information related to the second read receipt in association with at least one of: the notification and the event.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the notification server, a second indication to the first end-user device, the second indication indicating that the user of the second end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read the details about the notification.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification is transmitted to the first end-user device via a secure communication channel.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the notification server, a list identifying multiple notifications to the first end-user device; and
transmitting, by the notification server, the details about the notification to the first end-user device in response to the user's selection of the notification in the list.

7. An apparatus comprising:
at least one interface configured to communicate with a first end-user device; and
at least one processing device configured to:
receive an event related to at least one of an activity or condition of a component in an industrial process control and automation system;
generate a notification based on the event related to the at least one of the activity or condition of the component;
initiate transmission of the notification to the first end-user device, the notification associated with the event in the industrial process control and automation system;
receive a first read receipt indicating that a user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read details about the notification at the first end-user device;
store the first read receipt or information related to the first read receipt in association with at least one of: the notification and the event;
receive a query for read receipts satisfying one or more parameters, wherein the at least one processing device identifies any read receipts that satisfy the one or more parameters in response to the query for read receipts satisfying one or more parameters; and
receive a command corresponding to the notification from the first end-user device, wherein the command indicates that the user has assumed responsibility for the event.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:
initiate transmission of the notification to a second end-user device; and
initiate transmission of a first indication to the second end-user device, the first indication indicating that the user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read the details about the notification.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:
receive a second read receipt indicating that a user of the second end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read the details about the notification at the second end-user device; and
store the second read receipt or information related to the second read receipt in association with at least one of: the notification and the event.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:
initiate transmission of a second indication to the first end-user device, the second indication indicating that the user of the second end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read the details about the notification.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one interface is configured to transmit the notification to the first end-user device via a secure communication channel.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:
initiate transmission of a list identifying multiple notifications to the first end-user device; and
initiate transmission of the details about the notification to the first end-user device in response to the user's selection of the notification in the list.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer readable program code that, when executed, causes at least one processing device to:
receive an event related to at least one of an activity or condition of a component in an industrial process control and automation system;
generate a notification based on the event related to the at least one of the activity or condition of the component;
initiate transmission of the notification to a first end-user device, the notification associated with the event in the industrial process control and automation system;
receive a first read receipt indicating that a user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read details about the notification at the first end-user device;
store the first read receipt or information related to the first read receipt in association with at least one of: the notification and the event;
receive a query for read receipts satisfying one or more parameters, wherein the at least one processing device identifies any read receipts that satisfy the one or more parameters in response to the query for read receipts satisfying one or more parameters; and
receive a command corresponding to the notification from the first end-user device, wherein the command indicates that the user has assumed responsibility for the event.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , further containing computer readable program code that, when executed, causes the at least one processing device to:
initiate transmiss

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Duca Andrew
• Burd Matthew G
• Vardy Tyron

Classifications

• H04L41/069 Primary

  using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications · CPC title

• H04L43/04

  Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation · CPC title

• H04L41/22

  comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• H04L43/08

  Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters · CPC title