Device-to-device communication in an industrial automation environment

Abstract

Techniques to facilitate communication between users in an industrial application associated with an industrial automation environment are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the industrial application is displayed on a display system of the computing system. The computing system engages in a peer-to-peer communication session with a remote computing system, wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is displayed within the GUI of the industrial application. Industrial data associated with the industrial application is displayed within the peer-to-peer communication session.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . One or more computer-readable storage media having program instructions stored thereon to facilitate communication between users in an industrial application associated with an industrial automation environment, wherein the program instructions, when executed by a computing system, direct the computing system to at least:
 display a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the industrial application on a display system of the computing system;   engage in a peer-to-peer communication session with a remote computing system, wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is displayed within the GUI of the industrial application; and   display industrial data associated with the industrial application within the peer-to-peer communication session.   
     
     
         2 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 1  wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is launched from within the industrial application. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 1  wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is launched from within an incident report associated with the industrial application. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 1  wherein the program instructions direct the computing system to display the industrial data associated with the industrial application within the peer-to-peer communication session by directing the computing system to display the industrial data within the peer-to-peer communication session on the display system and transfer the industrial data to the remote computing system for display within the peer-to-peer communication session on the remote computing system. 
     
     
         5 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 1  wherein the industrial data associated with the industrial application comprises a live trend displaying current operational data as it is generated. 
     
     
         6 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 1  wherein the program instructions further direct the computing system to display a user-specific keyboard within the peer-to-peer communication session having characters associated with a user's organizational role in the industrial automation environment. 
     
     
         7 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 1  wherein the program instructions direct the computing system to display the industrial data associated with the industrial application within the peer-to-peer communication session by directing the computing system to display the industrial data associated with the industrial application in response to a user selection of the industrial data for display within the peer-to-peer communication session. 
     
     
         8 . A method of operating a computing system to facilitate communication between users in an industrial application associated with an industrial automation environment, the method comprising:
 displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the industrial application on a display system of the computing system;   engaging in a peer-to-peer communication session with a remote computing system, wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is displayed within the GUI of the industrial application; and   displaying industrial data associated with the industrial application within the peer-to-peer communication session.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is launched from within the industrial application. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is launched from within an incident report associated with the industrial application. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein displaying the industrial data associated with the industrial application within the peer-to-peer communication session comprises displaying the industrial data within the peer-to-peer communication session on the display system and transferring the industrial data to the remote computing system for display within the peer-to-peer communication session on the remote computing system. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the industrial data associated with the industrial application comprises a live trend displaying current operational data as it is generated. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising displaying a user-specific keyboard within the peer-to-peer communication session having characters associated with an organizational role of a user in the industrial automation environment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein displaying the industrial data associated with the industrial application within the peer-to-peer communication session comprises displaying the industrial data associated with the industrial application in response to a user selection of the industrial data for display within the peer-to-peer communication session. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus to facilitate communication between users in an industrial application associated with an industrial automation environment, the apparatus comprising:
 one or more computer-readable storage media; and   program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media that, when executed by a computing system, direct the computing system to at least:   display a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the industrial application on a display system of the computing system;   engage in a peer-to-peer communication session with a remote computing system using the peer-to-peer protocol, wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is displayed within the GUI of the industrial application; and   display industrial data associated with the industrial application within the peer-to-peer communication session.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is launched from within the industrial application. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the peer-to-peer communication session is launched from within an incident report associated with the industrial application. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the program instructions direct the computing system to display the industrial data associated with the industrial application within the peer-to-peer communication session by directing the computing system to display the industrial data within the peer-to-peer communication session on the display system and transfer the industrial data to the remote computing system for display within the peer-to-peer communication session on the remote computing system. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the industrial data associated with the industrial application comprises a live trend displaying current operational data as it is generated. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the program instructions further direct the computing system to display a user-specific keyboard within the peer-to-peer communication session having characters associated with a user's organizational role in the industrial automation environment.