Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for developing industrial applications

Abstract

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for developing industrial applications are provided. An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) provides a development framework for designing, programming, and configuring multiple aspects of industrial automation systems using a common design environment and data model. Project creation using an embodiment of the IDE system can be based on an object-based model instead of, or in addition to, a tag-based architecture. To this end, the IDE system can support the use of automation objects that serve as building blocks of the object-based development structure. In order to ensure consistency within and between projects and to ensure that a given industrial project is dynamically updated to reflect changes in the properties of industrial assets, an embodiment of the IDE system can use automation object inheritance features to propagate changes made to automation object definitions to all instances of automation objects used throughout the control project.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for developing industrial applications. Background Art

[0002] The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to industrial automation systems and, for example, to industrial programming development platforms. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The following is a simplified overview to provide a basic understanding of some aspects described herein. This overview is not an extensive review, nor is it intended to identify key / important elements or delineate the scope of the various aspects described herein. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that will be presented later.

[0004] In one or more embodiments, a system for developing industrial applications is provided, the system comprising: a memory storing a library of executable components and automation objects representing corresponding industrial assets, the automation objects having corresponding programming properties associated with the industrial assets; a user interface component configured to present an integrated development environment (IDE) interface and receive industrial design input defining aspects of an industrial automation project via interaction with the IDE interface; and a project generation component configured to generate system project data based on the industrial design input, wherein the system project data defines a system project, including at least one of an executable industrial control program, an industrial visualization application, or industrial equipment configuration data, the system project data also including instances of automation objects selected from automation objects stored in a library, and the project generation component is further configured to: in response to receiving object editing data defining edits to properties of the automation objects via the user interface component, modify the automation objects in the library and the instances of the automation objects included in the system project data according to the object editing data.

[0005] In addition, one or more embodiments provide a method for developing industrial applications, the method comprising: presenting an integrated development environment (IDE) interface on a client device by a system including a processor; receiving industrial design input defining aspects of an industrial control and monitoring project by the system via interaction with the IDE interface; generating system project data by the system based on the industrial design input, wherein the generating comprises generating at least one of an executable industrial control program, an industrial visualization application, or industrial equipment configuration data, and the system project data comprises instances of automation objects selected from a library of automation objects, the automation objects representing corresponding industrial assets and having corresponding programming properties related to the industrial assets; and in response to receiving object editing data defining edits to properties of the automation objects, modifying the automation objects in the library and the instances of the automation objects included in the system project data according to the object editing data.

[0006] In addition, according to one or more embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided, having instructions stored thereon, which, in response to being executed, cause a system to perform operations including: presenting an integrated development environment (IDE) interface on a client device; receiving industrial design input defining control design aspects of an industrial automation project from the client device via interaction with the IDE interface; generating system project data based on the industrial design input, wherein the generation includes generating at least one of an executable industrial control program, an industrial visualization application, or industrial equipment configuration data, and the system project data includes instances of automation objects selected from a library of automation objects, the automation objects representing corresponding industrial assets and having corresponding programming properties related to the industrial assets; and in response to receiving object editing data defining edits to properties of the automation objects, modifying the automation objects in the library and the instances of the automation objects included in the system project data according to the object editing data.

[0007] To achieve the foregoing and related purposes, certain illustrative aspects are described herein in conjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings. These aspects indicate various ways in which the present invention may be practiced, all of which are intended to be encompassed herein. Additional advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example industrial control environment.

[0009] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example integrated development environment (IDE) system.

[0010] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the general architecture of an industrial IDE system.

[0011] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating several example automation object properties that may be utilized by an industrial IDE system in connection with building, deploying, and executing system projects.

[0012] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating example data flows associated with an industrial IDE system and using the industrial IDE system to create a system project for an automation system being designed.

[0013] Figure 6 is a diagram of an example system project that illustrates incorporating automation objects into a project model.

[0014] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing debugging of system items.

[0015] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example architecture in which a cloud-based IDE service is used to develop and deploy industrial applications to a factory environment.

[0016] Figure 9 is a diagram of an example automation object that has been integrated into the project data model of a system project.

[0017] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the project testing component of the IDE system testing an example system project using test scripts bound to automation objects.

[0018] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating submission of automated object editing to an IDE system.

[0019] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating modification of an instance of an automation object according to edits submitted to a master version of the automation object stored in a library.

[0020] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating downloading a copy of a system project from an industrial IDE system to a local client device.

[0021] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating propagation of automation object edits to locally stored copies of system projects.

[0022] Figure 15 is a flow chart of an example method for propagating edits to an automation object to instances of the object used in one or more system projects.

[0023] Figure 16 is a sample computing environment.

[0024] Figure 17 is a sample networking environment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for illustrative purposes, many specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it is apparent that the present disclosure can be practiced without these specific details. In other examples, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate their description.

[0026] As used in this application, the terms "component," "system," "platform," "layer," "controller," "terminal," "station," "node," and "interface" are intended to refer to a computer-related entity or an entity related to or as part of an operating device having one or more specific functions, where such an entity can be hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a process running on a processor, a processor, a hard drive, a plurality of storage drives (optical or magnetic) including fixed (e.g., secured with screws or bolts) or removable fixed solid-state storage drives; an object; an executable file; a thread of execution; a computer-executable program and / or a computer. By way of illustration, a server and an application running on a server can be a component. One or more components can reside within an executing process and / or thread, and a component can be located on one computer and / or distributed between two or more computers. In addition, the components described herein can be executed from various computer-readable storage media having various data structures stored thereon. These components can communicate via local and / or remote processes, for example, based on a signal with one or more data packets (e.g., data from a component that interacts with another component in a local system, a distributed system, and / or interacts with other systems via a signal over a network such as the Internet). As another example, a component can be a device having a specific function provided by a mechanical part operated by an electrical or electronic circuit, which is operated by a software or firmware application executed by a processor, wherein the processor can be inside or outside the device and execute at least a portion of the software or firmware application. As another example, a component can be a device that provides a specific function by an electronic component rather than a mechanical part, and the electronic component can include a processor to execute software or firmware that at least partially provides the function of the electronic component. As yet another example, an interface can include an input / output (I / O) component and an associated processor, application, or application programming interface (API) component. Although the foregoing examples are directed to aspects of components, the illustrated aspects or features can also be applied to systems, platforms, interfaces, layers, controllers, terminals, etc.

[0027] As used herein, the terms "infer" and "inference" generally relate to the process of reasoning or inferring the state of a system, environment, and / or user based on a collection of observations captured via events and / or data. For example, inference can be applied to identify a particular context or action, or a probability distribution over states can be generated. Inference can be probabilistic, i.e., a probability distribution over states of interest is computed based on a consideration of data and events. Inference can also relate to techniques for composing higher-level events from a collection of events and / or data. Such inference results in the construction of new events or actions based on a collection of observed events and / or stored event data, regardless of whether the events are closely related in temporal proximity, and whether the events and data come from one or several event and data sources.

[0028] Furthermore, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or." That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from the context, the phrase "X employs A or B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, the phrase "X employs A or B" is satisfied by any of the following instances: X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B. Furthermore, the articles "a" and "an" as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean "one or more" unless specified otherwise or clear from the context.

[0029] Furthermore, the term "set," as used herein, excludes an empty set, e.g., a set with no elements. Thus, a "set" in this disclosure includes one or more elements or entities. By way of illustration, a set of controllers includes one or more controllers; a set of data resources includes one or more data resources; and so on. Similarly, the term "group," as used herein, refers to a collection of one or more entities; e.g., a group of nodes refers to one or more nodes.

[0030] Various aspects or features will be presented in terms of systems that may include a number of devices, components, modules, etc. It will be understood and appreciated that the various systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc. and / or may not include all of the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in connection with the figures. Combinations of these methods may also be used.

[0031] Figure 1is a block diagram of an example industrial control environment 100. In this example, multiple industrial controllers 118 are deployed throughout the industrial plant environment to monitor and control corresponding industrial systems or processes related to product manufacturing, processing, motion control, batch processing, material handling, or other such industrial functions. The industrial controllers 118 typically execute corresponding control programs to facilitate monitoring and control of industrial devices 120 (e.g., industrial machines) that constitute the controlled industrial assets or systems. One or more industrial controllers 118 may also include soft controllers executed on a personal computer or other hardware platform or on a cloud platform. Some hybrid devices may also combine controller functionality with other functionality (e.g., visualization). The control program executed by the industrial controller 118 may include substantially any type of code capable of processing input signals read from the industrial devices 120 and controlling output signals generated by the industrial controller 118, including but not limited to ladder logic, sequential function charts, function block diagrams, or structured text.

[0032] Industrial devices 120 may include both input devices that provide data related to the controlled industrial system to industrial controller 118 and output devices that respond to control signals generated by industrial controller 118 for controlling aspects of the industrial system. Example input devices may include telemetry devices (e.g., temperature sensors, flow meters, level sensors, pressure sensors, etc.), manual operator control devices (e.g., push buttons, selector switches, etc.), safety monitoring devices (e.g., safety mats, safety pull cords, light curtains, etc.), and other such devices. Output devices may include motor drives, pneumatic actuators, signaling devices, robotic control inputs, valves, pumps, etc.

[0033] The industrial controller 118 can be communicatively interfaced with the industrial devices 120 via a hardwired or networked connection. For example, the industrial controller 118 can be equipped with local hardwired inputs and outputs for communicating with the industrial devices 120 to control them. Local controller I / O can include digital I / O that sends and receives discrete voltage signals to and from field devices, or analog I / O that sends and receives analog voltage or current signals to and from devices. The controller I / O can communicate with the controller's processor via a backplane so that the digital and analog signals can be read into and controlled by a control program. The industrial controller 118 can also communicate with the industrial devices 120 via a network, for example, using a communication module or an integrated networking port. Exemplary networks include the Internet, an intranet, Ethernet, DeviceNet, ControlNet, Data Highway and Data Highway Plus (DH / DH+), remote I / O, fieldbus, Modbus, Profibus, wireless networks, serial protocols, and the like. The industrial controller 118 may also store persistent data values that can be referenced by its associated control program and used for control decisions, including but not limited to measured or calculated values representing the operating state of the controlled machine or process (e.g., tank level, position, alarm, etc.), or captured time series data collected during operation of the automation system (e.g., status information at multiple time points, diagnostic occurrences, etc.). Similarly, some smart devices—including but not limited to motor drives, instruments, or condition monitoring modules—may store data values used to control and / or visualize operating states. Such devices may also capture time series data or events in a log for later retrieval and review.

[0034] Industrial automation systems typically include one or more human machine interfaces (HMIs) 114 that enable plant personnel to view telemetry and status data associated with the automation system and to control aspects of system operation. The HMI 114 can communicate with one or more of the industrial controllers 118 via a plant network 116 and exchange data with the industrial controllers to facilitate visualization of information related to the controlled industrial process on one or more pre-developed operator interface screens. The HMI 114 can also be configured to enable an operator to submit data to a designated data tag or memory address of the industrial controller 118, thereby providing a means for the operator to issue commands to the controlled system (e.g., cycle start commands, equipment actuation commands, etc.), modify set point values, etc. The HMI 114 can generate one or more display screens through which the operator interacts with the industrial controller 118 and, thereby, interacts with the controlled process and / or system. Example displays can use graphical representations of processes displaying metered or calculated values to visualize the current state of an industrial system or its associated equipment, employ color or position animation based on the state, present alarm notifications, or employ other such techniques to present relevant data to an operator. Data presented in this manner is read by the HMI 114 from the industrial controller 118 and presented on one or more displays according to a display format selected by the HMI developer. The HMI can include a fixed-location device or a mobile device with a user-installed or pre-installed operating system and user-installed or pre-installed graphical application software.

[0035] Some industrial environments may also include other systems or devices related to specific aspects of the controlled industrial system. These systems or devices may include, for example, a data historian 110 that aggregates and stores production information collected from industrial controllers 118 or other data sources, a device document repository containing electronic documentation of the various industrial devices that make up the controlled industrial system, an inventory tracking system, a work order management system, a repository of machine or process diagrams and documentation, a supplier product document repository, a supplier knowledge base, an internal knowledge base, a work scheduling application, or other such systems, some or all of which may reside on the industrial environment's office network 108.

[0036] Higher-level systems 126 can perform functions that are less directly related to the control of industrial automation systems at the factory site and are instead directed to long-term planning, advanced supervisory control, analysis, reporting, or other such advanced functions. These systems 126 can reside on an office network 108 at an external location relative to the factory facility, or on a cloud platform that can access the office network and / or the factory network. Higher-level systems 126 can include, but are not limited to, cloud storage and analysis systems, big data analysis systems, manufacturing execution systems, data lakes, reporting systems, and the like. In some scenarios, applications running at these higher levels of the enterprise can be configured to analyze control system operational data, and the results of the analysis can be fed back to an operator at the control system or directly to a controller 118 or device 120 in the control system.

[0037] The various control, monitoring, and analysis devices that make up an industrial environment must be programmed or configured using a corresponding configuration application specific to each device. For example, industrial controllers 118 are typically configured and programmed using a control programming development application (e.g., executed on a client device 124), such as a ladder logic editor. Using such a development platform, a designer can write a control program (e.g., ladder logic, structured text, functional block diagram, etc.) to implement a desired industrial sequence or process and download the resulting program file to the controller 118. Separately, a developer uses an HMI development platform (e.g., executed on a client device 122) to design visualizations and associated navigation structures for the HMI 114 and download the resulting visualization file to the HMI 114. Some industrial devices 120—such as motor drives, telemetry devices, safety input devices, etc.—may also require configuration using a separate device configuration tool (e.g., executed on a client device 128) specific to the device being configured. Such a device configuration tool can be used to set device parameters or operating modes (e.g., high / low limits, output signal format, scaling factor, energy consumption mode, etc.).

[0038] The need to use separate configuration tools to program and configure different aspects of industrial automation systems has led to a fragmented design approach, whereby different, but related or overlapping, aspects of an automation system are designed, configured, and programmed separately on different development environments. For example, a motion control system might require using a control logic programming platform to program the industrial controller and tune the control loops, another configuration platform to configure the motor drives, and a visualization development platform to program the associated HMI. Related peripheral systems—such as vision systems, safety systems, and so on—may also require configuration using separate programming or development applications.

[0039] This separate development approach may also require considerable testing and debugging efforts to ensure proper integration of the separately configured system aspects. In this regard, the intended data interfaces or coordinated actions between the different system aspects may require extensive debugging due to failure to properly coordinate the different programming efforts.

[0040] To address at least some of these and other issues, one or more embodiments described herein provide an integrated development environment (IDE) for designing, programming, and configuring various aspects of industrial automation systems using a common design environment and data model. Embodiments of the industrial IDE can be used to configure and manage automation system devices in a common manner, thereby facilitating integrated multidisciplinary programming of control, visualization, and other aspects of control systems.

[0041] Typically, industrial IDEs support features spanning the entire automation lifecycle, including design (e.g., equipment selection and sizing, controller programming, visualization development, device configuration, testing, etc.); installation, configuration, and commissioning; operation, improvement, and management; as well as troubleshooting, expansion, and upgrades.

[0042] Implementations of industrial IDEs can include libraries of modular code and visualizations specific to industrial verticals and common industrial applications within those verticals. These code and visualization modules can simplify development and shorten development cycles while also supporting consistency and reuse across industrial enterprises.

[0043] To support enhanced development capabilities, project creation using embodiments of the IDE system can be based on an object-based model rather than, or in addition to, a tag-based architecture. To this end, the IDE system can support the use of automation objects that serve as building blocks of this object-based development structure. To ensure consistency within and between projects, and to ensure that a given industrial project is dynamically updated to reflect changes to the properties of industrial assets (e.g., control code, visualization definitions, test scripts, analysis code, etc.), embodiments of the IDE system can use an automation object inheritance feature to propagate changes made to an automation object definition to all instances of the automation object used throughout the control project.

[0044] Figure 2is a block diagram of an example integrated development environment (IDE) system 202 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Aspects of the systems, apparatuses, or processes described herein may constitute machine-executable components contained within a machine, such as one or more computer-readable media associated with one or more machines. Such components, when executed by one or more machines, such as computers, computing devices, automation devices, virtual machines, and the like, may cause the machines to perform the described operations.

[0045] The IDE system 202 may include a user interface component 204 including an IDE editor 224, a project generation component 206, a project deployment component 208, a project testing component 210, a collaboration management component 212, one or more processors 218, and a memory 220. In various implementations, one or more of the user interface component 204, the project generation component 206, the project deployment component 208, the project testing component 210, the collaboration management component 212, the one or more processors 218, and the memory 220 may be electrically and / or communicatively coupled to each other to perform one or more of the functions of the IDE system 202. In some implementations, the components 204, 206, 208, 210, and 212 may include software instructions stored on the memory 220 and executed by the processor 218. The IDE system 202 may also communicate with Figure 2 For example, the processor 218 may interact with one or more external user interface devices such as a keyboard, mouse, display monitor, touch screen, or other such interface devices.

[0046] The user interface component 204 can be configured to receive user input and present output to the user in any suitable format (e.g., visual, audio, tactile, etc.). In some embodiments, the user interface component 204 can be configured to interact with an IDE client communicatively executed on a client device (e.g., a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, etc.), which is communicatively connected to the IDE system 202 (e.g., via a hardwired connection or a wireless connection). The user interface component 204 can then receive user input data and present output data via the IDE client. In other embodiments, the user interface component 204 can be configured to generate a suitable interface screen (e.g., a program development screen) and provide it to the client device, and exchange data via these interface screens. The input data that can be received via various embodiments of the user interface component 204 can include, but are not limited to, programming code, industrial design instructions or targets, engineering drawings, AR / VR input, DSL definitions, video or image data, project test scripts, or other such inputs. Output data presented by various embodiments of the user interface component 204 may include program code, programming feedback (eg, errors and highlighting, coding suggestions, etc.), programming and visual development screens, project testing results, and the like.

[0047] The project generation component 206 can be configured to create a system project including one or more project files based on the design input received via the user interface component 204 and the industrial knowledge, predefined code modules and visualization and automation objects (AO) 222 stored by the IDE system 202. The project deployment component 208 can be configured to delegate the system project created by the project generation component 206 to appropriate industrial devices (e.g., controllers, HMI terminals, motor drives, AR / VR systems, etc.) for execution. To this end, the project deployment component 208 can identify the appropriate target device to which the corresponding parts of the system project should be sent for execution, convert these corresponding parts into a format understandable to the target device, and deploy the converted project components to their corresponding devices.

[0048] The project testing component 210 can be configured to execute test scripts associated with the automation objects 222 or other elements of the system project to verify the correct execution of various aspects of the project. The collaboration management component 212 can be configured to track instances of the system project that have been downloaded to the local client device so that these local versions of the project can be updated as needed in response to modifications submitted to the cloud-based IDE system.

[0049] The one or more processors 218 may perform one or more of the functions described herein with reference to the systems and / or methods disclosed herein. The memory 220 may be a computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-executable instructions and / or information for performing the functions described herein with reference to the systems and / or methods disclosed herein.

[0050] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a general architecture of an industrial IDE system 202 according to one or more embodiments. The industrial IDE system 202 can implement a general set of services and workflows that span not only design but also commissioning, operations, and maintenance. On the design side, the IDE system 202 can support not only industrial controller programming and HMI development, but also system component sizing and selection, device / system configuration, AR / VR visualization, and other features. The IDE system 202 can also include tools that simplify and automate the commissioning of the resulting project and assist in the subsequent management of the deployed system during runtime.

[0051] Embodiments of the IDE system 202 implemented on a cloud platform also facilitate collaborative project development, whereby multiple developers 304 contribute design and programming input to a common automation system project 302. Collaboration tools supported by the IDE system can manage design contributions from multiple contributors and perform version control of the aggregated system project 302 to ensure project consistency.

[0052] Based on the design and programming input from one or more developers 304, the IDE system 202 generates a system project 302 comprising one or more project files. The system project 302 encodes one or more of the following: a control program; an HMI, AR and / or VR visualization; device or subsystem configuration data (e.g., drive parameters, vision system configuration, telemetry device parameters, safety zone definitions, etc.), or other such aspects of the industrial automation system being designed. The IDE system 202 can identify the appropriate target device 306 (e.g., an industrial controller, an HMI terminal, a variable frequency drive, a safety device, etc.) on which the corresponding aspects of the system project 302 should be executed, convert the system project 302 into an executable file that can be executed on the corresponding target device, and deploy the executable file to its corresponding target device 306 for execution, thereby delegating the system project 302 to the factory site to implement the automation project.

[0053] To support enhanced development capabilities, some embodiments of the IDE system 202 can be built on an object-based data model instead of, or in addition to, a tag-based architecture. Automation objects 222 serve as building blocks of this object-based development architecture. Figure 42 is a diagram illustrating several example automation object properties that can be utilized by the IDE system 202 in conjunction with building, deploying, and executing system projects 302. Automation objects 222 can be created and augmented during design, integrated into larger data models, and used during runtime. These automation objects 222 provide a common data structure across the IDE system 202 and can be stored in an object library (e.g., a portion of memory 220) for reuse. The object library can store predefined automation objects 222 representing various categories of real-world industrial assets 402, including but not limited to pumps, tanks, valves, motors, motor drives (e.g., variable frequency drives), industrial robots, actuators (e.g., pneumatic or hydraulic actuators), or other such assets. Automation objects 222 can represent elements at essentially any level of an industrial enterprise, including individual devices, machines composed of many industrial devices and components (some of which can be associated with their own automation objects 222), and entire production lines or process control systems.

[0054] An automation object 222 for a given type of industrial asset can encode aspects such as 2D or 3D visualization, alarms, control code (e.g., logic or other types of control programs), analytics, startup procedures, test protocols and scripts, validation reports, simulations, diagrams, safety protocols, and other such attributes associated with the industrial asset 402 represented by the object 222. Automation objects 222 can also be geotagged with location information identifying the location of the associated asset. During runtime of the system project 302, the automation object 222 corresponding to a given real-world asset 402 can also record status or operational history data for the asset. Generally, an automation object 222 serves as a programmatic representation of its corresponding industrial asset 402 and can be incorporated into the system project 302 as an element of control code, 2D or 3D visualization, a knowledge base or maintenance guidance system for the industrial asset, or other such aspects. Additionally, as will be discussed in greater detail below, the automation object 222 can support inheritance so that changes to any of the attributes of the automation object 222 discussed above are automatically propagated to instances of the automation object used throughout the system project 302.

[0055] Figure 5is a diagram illustrating an example data flow associated with using the IDE system 202 according to one or more embodiments to create a system project 302 for an automation system being designed. A client device 504 (e.g., a laptop, tablet, desktop, mobile device, wearable AR / VR device, etc.) executing an IDE client application 514 can access the IDE system's project development tools and utilize these tools to create a comprehensive system project 302 for the automation system being developed. By interacting with the system's user interface component 204, developers can submit design input 512 to the IDE system 202 in various supported formats, including industry-specific control programs (e.g., control logic, structured text, sequential function charts, etc.) and HMI screen configuration input. Based on the design input 512 and information stored in the industrial knowledge base (predefined code modules 508 and visualizations 510, guardrail templates 506, physics-based rules 516, etc.), the user interface component 204 presents design feedback 518, which is designed to assist the developer in configuring, controlling, and visualizing the industrial automation system in conjunction with the development system project 302.

[0056] In addition to control programs and visualization definitions, some embodiments of the IDE system 202 can be configured to receive digital engineering drawings (e.g., computer-aided design (CAD) files) as design input 512. In such embodiments, the project generation component 206 can generate portions of the system project 302 based on analysis of existing design drawings, for example, by automatically generating control and / or visualization code. Drawings that can be submitted as design input 512 can include, but are not limited to, P&ID drawings, mechanical drawings, flow charts, or other such documents. For example, a P&ID drawing can be imported into the IDE system 202, and the project generation component 206 can identify the elements (e.g., tanks, pumps, etc.) conveyed by the drawing and the relationships between them. The project generation component 206 can associate or map the elements identified in the drawing with appropriate automation objects 222 corresponding to these elements (e.g., tanks, pumps, etc.) and add these automation objects 222 to the system project 302. The device-specific and asset-specific automation objects 222 include the appropriate code and visualization to be associated with the elements identified in the drawing. In general, the IDE system 202 can examine one or more different types of drawings (mechanical, electrical, piping, etc.) to determine relationships between devices, machines, and / or assets (including identifying common elements across different drawings) and intelligently associate these elements with appropriate automation objects 222, code modules 508, and / or visualizations 510. The IDE system 202 can combine the generation of code or project data for the system project 302, utilizing physics-based rules 516 and predefined code modules 508 and visualizations 510 as needed.

[0057] The IDE system 202 may also determine whether predefined visualization content is available for any object found in the drawing and generate appropriate HMI screens or AR / VR content for the found object based on these predefined visualizations. To this end, the IDE system 202 may store industry-specific, asset-specific, and / or application-specific visualizations 510 that can be accessed on demand by the project generation component 206. These visualizations 510 may be categorized by industry or industrial vertical market (e.g., automotive, food and drug, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, etc.), type of industrial asset (e.g., type of machine or industrial equipment), type of industrial application (e.g., batch processing, flow control, web tension control, sheet metal stamping, water treatment, etc.), or other such categories. The predefined visualizations 510 may include visualizations in various formats, including but not limited to HMI screens or windows, mashups that aggregate data from multiple pre-specified sources, AR overlays, VR objects that represent 3D virtualization of associated industrial assets, or other such visualization formats. The IDE system 202 may select an appropriate visualization for a given object based on a predefined association between object type and visualization content.

[0058] In another example, the marks applied by the user to the engineering drawing can be understood by some embodiments of the project generation component 206 to convey specific design intent or parameters. For example, a mark in red pen can be understood to indicate a safe area, two circles connected by a dotted line can be interpreted as a gear relationship, and a thick line can indicate a cam relationship. In this way, the designer can draft design goals on the existing drawing in a way that the IDE system 202 can understand and utilize to generate code and visualization. In another example, the project generation component 206 can learn the permissions and interlocks (e.g., valves and their associated states) that serve as necessary prerequisites for starting a machine based on an analysis of the user's CAD drawings. The project generation component 206 can generate any suitable code (ladder logic, function blocks, etc.), device configurations, and visualizations based on the analysis of these drawings and marks to be incorporated into the system project 302. In some embodiments, the user interface component 204 can include design tools for developing engineering drawings within the IDE platform itself, and the project generation component 206 can generate this code as a background process when the user creates a drawing for a new project. In some implementations, the project generation component 206 can also convert the state machine diagram into a corresponding programming sequence, thereby generating at least skeleton code that can be enhanced with additional programming details as desired by the developer.

[0059] Alternatively, or in addition, some embodiments of the IDE system 202 can support goal-based automation programming. For example, the user interface component 204 can allow a user to specify a production goal for the automation system being designed (e.g., specifying that the bottling plant being designed must be able to produce at least 5,000 bottles per second during normal operation) and any other relevant design constraints that apply to the design project (e.g., budget constraints, available on-site space, available control cabinet space, etc.). Based on this information, the project generation component 206 will generate some parts of the system project 302 to meet the specified design goals and constraints. Some parts of the system project 302 that can be generated in this manner can include, but are not limited to, equipment and equipment selection (e.g., how many pumps, controllers, stations, conveyors, drives, or other assets will need to be defined to meet the specified goals), associated equipment configurations (e.g., adjustment parameters, network settings, drive parameters, etc.), control code, or HMI screens suitable for visualizing the automation system being designed.

[0060] Some embodiments of the project generation component 206 can also generate at least some of the project code for the system project 302 based on knowledge of the parts that have been ordered for the project being developed. This can involve accessing the customer's account information maintained by the equipment supplier to identify the equipment that has been purchased for the project. Based on this information, the project generation component 206 can add the appropriate automation objects 222 and associated code modules 508 corresponding to the purchased assets, thereby providing a starting point for project development.

[0061] Some embodiments of the project generation component 206 can also monitor customer-specific design methodologies for commonly programmed functions (e.g., pumping applications, batch processing, palletizing operations, etc.) and generate recommendations for design modules (e.g., code modules 508, visualizations 510, etc.) that the user may wish to incorporate into the current design project based on an inference of the designer's goals and a learned approach to achieving those goals. To this end, some embodiments of the project generation component 206 can be configured to monitor design inputs 512 over time and, based on this monitoring, learn dependencies between certain design actions (e.g., adding certain code modules or code segments to a design project, selecting certain visualizations, etc.) and the type of industrial asset, industrial sequence, or industrial process being designed. The project generation component 206 can record these learned dependencies and generate recommendations based on these dependencies during subsequent project development phases. For example, if the project generation component 206 determines, based on analysis of the design input 512, that the designer is currently developing a control project involving a type of industrial equipment that has been programmed and / or visualized in the past in a repetitive, predictable manner, the project generation component 206 can instruct the user interface component 204 to present recommended development steps or code modules 508 that the designer may wish to incorporate into the system project 302 based on how the equipment has been configured and / or programmed in the past.

[0062] In some embodiments, the IDE system 202 may also store and implement guardrail templates 506 that define design guardrails intended to ensure that a project complies with internal or external design standards. Based on the design parameters defined by one or more selected guardrail templates 506, the user interface component 204 may provide dynamic recommendations or other types of feedback as a subset of design feedback 518, designed to guide developers in ensuring that the system project 302 complies with internal or external requirements or standards (e.g., certifications such as TUV certification, internal design standards, industry-specific or vertical-specific design standards, etc.). This feedback 518 may take the form of text-based recommendations (e.g., recommendations to rewrite indicated portions of control code to comply with defined programming standards), syntax highlighting, error highlighting, automatic completion of code snippets, or other such formats. In this manner, the IDE system 202 may customize the design feedback 518, including programming recommendations, recommendations for predefined code modules 508 or visualizations 510, error highlighting, syntax highlighting, and the like, based on the type of industrial system being developed and any applicable internal design standards.

[0063] Guardrail templates 506 can also be designed to maintain compliance with global best practices applicable to other aspects of control program or project development. For example, if a developer's control program is deemed too complex (as defined by the standards specified by one or more guardrail templates 506), the user interface component 204 can generate and present an alert. Because different vertical markets (e.g., automotive, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, food and drug, marine, etc.) must adhere to different standards and certifications, the IDE system 202 can maintain a library of guardrail templates 506 for different internal and external standards and certifications, including customized, user-specific guardrail templates 506. These guardrail templates 506 can be categorized by industry vertical, type of industrial application, plant facility (in the case of customized internal guardrail templates 506), or other such categories. During development, the project generation component 206 can select and apply a subset of guardrail templates 506 determined to be relevant to the project currently being developed based on factors such as the industry vertical associated with the project, the type of industrial application being programmed (e.g., flow control, web tension control, a specific batch process, etc.), or other such aspects. The project generation component 206 can utilize guardrail templates 506 to implement rule-based programming, thereby presenting programming feedback (a subset of design feedback 518) such as dynamic intelligent auto-correction, type-ahead, or coding suggestions based on industry expertise and best practices in coding (e.g., identifying inefficient sections in the code being developed and recommending appropriate corrections).

[0064] Users can also run their own internal guardrail templates 506 against code provided by an external supplier (e.g., an OEM) to ensure that the code complies with internal programming standards. In such a scenario, the supplier-provided code can be submitted to the IDE system 202, and the project generation component 206 can analyze the code in view of the internal coding standards specified by one or more custom guardrail templates 506. Based on the results of the analysis, the user interface component 204 can indicate (e.g., using highlighting, overlay text, etc.) the portions of the supplier-provided code that do not comply with the programming standards set forth by the guardrail templates 506 and display suggestions for modifying the code to bring the code into compliance with the standards. As an alternative to recommending these modifications or in addition to recommending these modifications, some embodiments of the project generation component 206 can be configured to automatically modify the code based on the recommendations to bring the code into compliance with the standards.

[0065] When making coding suggestions as part of the design feedback 518, the project generation component 206 can call upon a selected code module 508 stored in the code module database or a selected automation object 222 stored in the automation object library 502 (e.g., on the memory 220). The code module 508 includes standardized code segments for controlling common industrial tasks or applications (e.g., palletizing, flow control, web tension control, pick and place applications, conveyor control, etc.). Similarly, the automation objects 222 representing corresponding industrial assets can have associated therewith standardized control codes for monitoring and controlling their corresponding assets. In some embodiments, the code modules 508 and / or automation objects 222 can be categorized according to one or more of an industrial vertical market (e.g., automotive, food and drug, oil and gas, textiles, marine, pharmaceutical, etc.), an industrial application, or a type of machine or equipment for which the code module 508 or automation object 222 is applicable.

[0066] In some embodiments, the project generation component 206 can infer the programmer's current programming task or design goal based on the program input provided by the programmer (as a subset of the design input 512), and based on the task or goal, determine whether one of the predefined code modules 508 or automation objects 222 can be appropriately added to the control program being developed to achieve the inferred task or goal. For example, the project generation component 206 can infer, based on the analysis of the design input 512, that the programmer is currently developing control code for transferring material from a first tank to another tank, and in response, recommend a predefined code module 508 that includes standardized or frequently used code for controlling a valve, pump, or other asset required to achieve the material transfer. Similarly, the project generation component 206 can recommend an automation object 222 that represents one of the tanks or one of the other industrial assets involved in transferring material (e.g., a valve, pump, etc.), wherein the recommended automation object 222 includes associated control code for controlling its associated asset and a visualization object that can be used to visualize the asset in an HMI application or another visualization application.

[0067] Customized guardrail templates 506 can also be defined to capture nuances of a customer site that should be considered in the project design. For example, guardrail template 506 can record the fact that the automation system being designed will be installed in an area where power outages are common, and this factor will be taken into account when generating design feedback 518, such as by recommending the implementation of backup uninterruptible power supplies and suggesting how these power supplies should be combined, as well as recommending associated programming or control strategies that account for these outages.

[0068] The IDE system 202 can also use the guardrail template 506 to guide the user in selecting equipment or devices for a given design goal, for example, based on the following: the industry vertical market, the type of control application (e.g., sheet metal stamping, die casting, pallet packaging, conveyor control, web tension control, batch processing, etc.), the budget constraints of the project, the physical constraints of the installation site (e.g., available floor, wall, or cabinet space; the size of the installation space, etc.), the equipment already existing at the site, etc. Some or all of these parameters and constraints can be provided as design input 512, and the user interface component 204 can present equipment recommendations as a subset of the design feedback 518. In conjunction with the equipment recommendations, the project generation component 206 can also recommend corresponding automation objects 222 representing the recommended equipment for inclusion in the system project 302.

[0069] In some embodiments, the project generation component 206 can also determine whether some or all of the existing equipment can be re-adjusted for the new control system being designed. For example, if a new bottling line is to be added to a production area, there may be an opportunity to utilize existing equipment because some bottling lines already exist. The decision about which equipment and equipment can be reused will affect the design of the new control system. Therefore, some of the design inputs 512 provided to the IDE system 202 may include details of the customer's existing systems within or near the installation site. In some embodiments, the project generation component 206 can apply artificial intelligence (AI) or traditional analysis methods to this information to determine whether the existing equipment specified in the design input 512 can be re-adjusted or utilized. Based on the results of this analysis, the project generation component 206 can generate a list of any new equipment that may need to be purchased based on these decisions as design feedback 518.

[0070] In some embodiments, the IDE system 202 can provide design recommendations based on an understanding of the physical environment in which the automation system being designed will be installed. To this end, information about the physical environment can be submitted to the IDE system 202 (as part of the design input 512) in the form of a 2D or 3D image or video of the factory environment. In some embodiments, this environmental information can also be obtained from an existing digital twin of the factory or by analyzing scanned environmental data obtained by a wearable AR device. The project generation component 206 can analyze this image, video, or digital twin data to identify physical elements within the installation area (e.g., walls, beams, safety fences, existing machines and equipment, etc.) and the physical relationships between these elements. This can include determining distances between machines, lengths of pipe runs, the location and distances of wire harnesses or cable trays, etc. Based on the results of this analysis, the project generation component 206 can add the environment to the generated schematic as part of the system project 302, generate recommendations regarding optimal locations for equipment or machines (e.g., recommending minimum spacing between power and data cables), or make other improvements to the system project 302. At least some of this design data may be generated based on physics-based rules 516, which may be referenced by the project generation component 206 to determine such physical design specifications as minimum safe distances from hazardous equipment (which may also be factored in determining appropriate locations for installation of safety devices relative to the equipment, given expected human or vehicle reaction times defined by the physics-based rules 516), material selection capable of withstanding expected loads, piping configurations and adjustments for specified flow control applications, wiring specifications appropriate for expected electrical loads, minimum distances between signal wiring and electromagnetic field (EMF) sources to ensure negligible electrical interference with data signals, or other such design features that rely on physical rules.

[0071] In an example use case, the relative locations of machines and equipment specified by the physical environment information submitted to the IDE system 202 can be used by the project generation component 206 to generate design data for an industrial safety system. For example, the project generation component 206 can analyze distance measurements between safety equipment and hazardous machinery and, based on these measurements, determine the appropriate placement and configuration of the safety equipment and associated safety controllers that ensure (e.g., in the event a person passes through a light curtain) that the machine will shut down within a sufficient safety reaction time to prevent damage.

[0072] In some embodiments, the project generation component 206 can also analyze photographic data or video data of existing machines to determine inline mechanical characteristics such as gears or cams and factor this information into one or more guardrail templates 506 or design recommendations.

[0073] As described above, the system project 302 generated by the IDE system 202 for a given automation system being designed may be built on an object-based architecture using the automation objects 222 as building blocks. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example system project 302 incorporating automation objects 222 into a project model. In this example, various automation objects 222 representing assets such as industrial equipment, systems, or automation systems (e.g., processes, tanks, valves, pumps, etc.) have been incorporated into the system project 302 as elements of a larger project data model 602. The project data model 602 also defines hierarchical relationships between these automation objects 222. According to the example relationships, a process automation object representing a batch process can be defined as a parent object of multiple child objects representing equipment and equipment that performs the process, such as tanks, pumps, and valves. Each automation object 222 has associated with it object attributes or properties that are specific to its corresponding industrial asset (e.g., the above-mentioned combination of Figure 4 discussed above), including executable control programs for controlling the asset (or for coordinating the actions of the asset with other industrial assets) and visualizations that can be used to present relevant information about the asset during runtime.

[0074] At least some of the properties of each automation object 222 are default properties defined by the IDE system 202 based on coding industry expertise related to the asset represented by the object. These default properties may include, for example, industry standard or recommended control codes for monitoring and controlling the asset represented by the automation object 222, 2D or 3D graphical objects that can be used to visualize operational or statistical data about the asset, alarm conditions associated with the asset, analysis or reporting scripts designed to generate actionable insights into the asset's behavior, or other such properties. Developers can modify or add other properties as needed (via design input 512) to customize the automation object 222 for the specific asset and / or industrial application for which the system project 302 is being developed. This can include, for example, associating customized control code, HMI screens, AR demonstrations, or help files associated with the selected automation object 222. In this way, automation objects 222 can be created and expanded as needed during design for use or execution by the target control device during runtime.

[0075] Once the development and testing of the system project 302 is complete, the debugging tools supported by the IDE system 202 can simplify the process of debugging the project in the field. When the system project 302 for a given automation system has been completed, the system project 302 can be deployed to one or more target control devices for execution. Figure 7is a diagram illustrating debugging of a system project 302. The project deployment component 208 can compile or otherwise convert the completed system project 302 into one or more executable or configuration files that can be stored and executed on corresponding target industrial devices of the automation system (e.g., industrial controllers 118, HMI terminals 114 or other types of visualization systems, motor drives 710, telemetry devices, vision systems, safety relays, etc.).

[0076] Conventional control program development platforms require developers to specify the type of industrial controller (e.g., controller model) on which the control program will run before development, thereby binding the control program to the specified controller. Controller-specific guardrails are then imposed during program development, limiting how the program can be developed given the capabilities of the selected controller. In contrast, some embodiments of the IDE system 202 can abstract project development based on specific controller types, enabling designers to develop system projects 302 as logical representations of automation systems in a manner agnostic of where and how the various control aspects of system projects 302 will run. Once project development is complete and system project 302 is ready for commissioning, the user can specify (via the user interface component 204) target devices on which to execute corresponding aspects of system project 302. In response, the distribution engine of the project deployment component 208 converts the aspects of system project 302 into corresponding executable files formatted for storage and execution on their corresponding target devices.

[0077] For example, the system project 302 may include, among other project aspects, control code, visualization definitions, and motor drive parameter definitions. After completing project development, the user may identify which target devices—including the industrial controller 118, the HMI terminal 114, and the motor drive 710—will execute or receive these respective aspects of the system project 302. The project deployment component 208 may then convert the controller code defined by the system project 302 into a control program file 702 formatted for execution on the designated industrial controller 118 and send the control program file 702 to the controller 118 (e.g., via the plant network 116). Similarly, the project deployment component 208 may convert the visualization definitions and motor drive parameter definitions into a visualization application 704 and a device configuration file 708, respectively, and deploy these files to their respective target devices for execution and / or device configuration.

[0078] Typically, the project deployment component 208 performs any conversion necessary to enable the aspects of the system project 302 to be executed on a specified device. No matter how the various elements of the system project 302 are distributed, any inherent relationship, handshake, or data sharing defined in the system project 302 will be maintained. In this way, the embodiment of the IDE system 202 can separate how and where the project will run from the project. This also enables the same system project 302 to be debugged at different factory facilities with different control equipment sets. In other words, some embodiments of the IDE system 202 can distribute project code to different target devices according to the specific equipment found on site. The IDE system 202 can also enable some parts of the project file to be debugged as an emulator or debugged on a cloud-based controller.

[0079] As an alternative to having the user specify the target control devices to which the system project 302 is to be deployed, some embodiments of the IDE system 202 can proactively connect to the factory network 116 and discover available devices, ascertain the control hardware architecture present on the factory floor, infer appropriate target devices for the corresponding executable aspects of the system project 302, and deploy the system project 302 to these selected target devices. As part of this commissioning process, the IDE system 202 can also connect to a remote knowledge base (e.g., a web-based knowledge base or a cloud-based knowledge base) to determine which discovered devices are outdated or require a firmware upgrade to properly execute the system project 302. In this way, the IDE system 202 can serve as a link between the device supplier and the customer's factory ecosystem via a trusted connection in the cloud.

[0080] Intelligent propagation can be used to propagate copies of the system project 302 to multiple plant facilities with different equipment configurations, so that even if the field equipment does not perfectly match the defined target (for example, if different pump types are found at different locations), the project deployment component 208 intelligently associates the project components with the correct industrial assets or control devices. For target equipment that does not perfectly match the intended asset, the project deployment component 208 can calculate the estimated impact of running the system project 302 on the non-optimal target equipment and generate warnings or recommendations for mitigating expected deviations from optimal project execution.

[0081] As described above, some embodiments of the IDE system 202 may be implemented on a cloud platform. Figure 8802 is a diagram showing an example architecture in which a cloud-based IDE service 802 is used to develop industrial applications and deploy industrial applications to a factory environment. In this example, the industrial environment includes one or more industrial controllers 118, HMI terminals 114, motor drives 710, servers 801 running higher-level applications (e.g., ERP, MES, etc.), and other such industrial assets. These industrial assets are connected to a factory network 116 (e.g., a common industrial protocol network, an Ethernet / IP network, etc.), which facilitates data exchange between industrial devices on the factory floor. The factory network 116 can be a wired or wireless network. In the example shown, the advanced server 810 resides on a separate office network 108 that is connected to the factory network 116 (e.g., via a router 808 or other network infrastructure device).

[0082] In this example, the IDE system 202 resides on a cloud platform 806 and is executed as a collection of cloud-based IDE services 802 that can be accessed by authorized remote client devices 504. The cloud platform 806 can be any infrastructure that enables shared computing services (e.g., IDE services 802) to be accessed and utilized by cloud-connected devices. The cloud platform 806 can be a public cloud that can be accessed via the Internet by devices 504 that have Internet connectivity and appropriate authorization to utilize the IDE services 802. In some scenarios, the cloud platform 806 can be provided by a cloud provider as a platform as a service (PaaS), and the IDE services 802 can reside on the cloud platform 806 and execute on the cloud platform 806 as cloud-based services. In some such configurations, the owner of the IDE services 802 can provide access to the cloud platform 806 and associated IDE services 802 as a subscription service to customers. Alternatively, the cloud platform 806 can be a private cloud operated internally by an industrial enterprise (owner of a factory facility). An example private cloud platform may include a collection of servers that host the IDE service 802 and reside on a corporate network protected by a firewall.

[0083] The cloud-based implementation of the IDE system 202 can facilitate collaborative development by multiple remote developers who are authorized to access the IDE service 802. When the system project 302 is ready for deployment, the project 302 can be delegated to the factory facility via a secure connection between the office network 108 or the factory network 116 and the cloud platform 806. As discussed above, the industrial IDE service 802 can convert the system project 302 into one or more appropriate executable files—control program files 702, visualization applications 704, device configuration files 708, system configuration files 812—and deploy these files to appropriate devices in the factory facility to facilitate the implementation of the automation project.

[0084] As described above, the system project 302 generated by an embodiment of the industrial IDE system 202 may incorporate the plurality of automation objects 222 . Figure 9 is a diagram of an example automation object 222 that has been integrated into the project data model 602 of the system project 302. Figure 4 and Figure 6 As discussed, system items 302 can incorporate instances of automation objects 222 that serve as programmatic representations of industrial assets or industrial processes. Assets that can be represented by a given automation object 222 can include equipment-level assets (e.g., motor drives, valves, pumps, etc.) as well as machine-level assets (e.g., presses, tanks, processing stations, etc.). Automation objects 222 can represent off-the-shelf industrial equipment or machines provided by equipment or equipment suppliers, or can include custom automation objects 222 that represent custom machines provided by OEMs or another type of machine manufacturer.

[0085] The project data model 602 can define hierarchical relationships between multiple automation objects 222 integrated as part of the system project 302. These hierarchical relationships can represent physical and / or functional relationships between the represented assets. According to an example relationship, a process automation object 222 representing a batch process can be defined as a parent object for multiple child automation objects 222 representing the equipment and equipment (e.g., tanks, pumps, and valves) that perform the process. In another example, an automation object 222 representing a machine or production line can be defined as a parent object, under which multiple child automation objects 222 representing workstations or sub-machines within the machine or production line are defined. These sub-automation objects 222 themselves can have multiple child automation objects 222 representing the device-level assets that make up these workstations or sub-machines.

[0086] Each industrial object 222 may provide functionality similar to that of a data tag that serves as a container for input data received from and output data sent to its corresponding industrial asset (e.g., digital and analog data values received from the asset for processing by the system item 302, and digital and analog values generated by the system item 302 and sent to the asset). In addition, each industrial object 222 includes a plurality of programmatic properties related to the represented industrial asset, examples of which are described above in conjunction with Figure 4 These properties may include, for example, control logic that may be executed as part of system project 302 to monitor and control the represented asset. The associated control logic may be pre-developed to exchange input and output data with its associated industrial asset via defined input and output tags corresponding to the asset's physical inputs and outputs (i.e., the asset's digital and analog I / O). During execution of system project 302, the object's control logic may process inputs received from the asset and generate outputs for the asset based on the results of the processing.

[0087] Additionally, control logic associated with respective different automation objects 222 defined by the project data model 602 as having a hierarchical relationship with one another can interact or collaborate based on these defined relationships. For example, based on a defined hierarchical relationship between a first automation object 222 representing a tank (defined as a parent object) and a second automation object 222 representing a valve associated with the tank (defined as a child object of the first object), the system project 302 can link two sets of control logic associated with the first automation object 222 and the second automation object 222, respectively, so that the control logic associated with these two automation objects 222 perform coordinated monitoring and control of the machine. Linking the two sets of control logic in this manner can include, for example, linking data tags of the child object 222 to corresponding data tags of the parent object 222 according to the hierarchical relationship defined by the model 602.

[0088] Industrial objects 222 may also include associated HMI objects that a visualization system (e.g., an HMI application, a 2D or 3D augmented reality or virtual reality system, etc.) may use to present animated graphical representations of the assets. These HMI objects may include one or more HMI interface screens designed to present information about the assets, individual graphical objects representing the assets that may be imported into an industrial visualization application, or other such objects (e.g., a report screen presenting statistical or operational data about the assets, a screen presenting animated graphical representations of the assets, etc.).

[0089] Automation objects 222 may also include analysis scripts designed to analyze data generated by an asset to gain insight into the asset's performance or health. Example analyses that may be performed by an automation object's analysis scripts may include, but are not limited to, evaluating the asset's current health and predicted future health (e.g., determining an asset's predicted time to failure), determining when the asset requires maintenance, or other such metrics. Like the automation object's control logic, the analysis scripts may be designed to interface with known data items generated by the industrial asset (e.g., asset-specific data tags) so that data associated with these data items can be processed by the scripts.

[0090] The automation object 222 may also define alarm information associated with the industrial asset. This alarm information may include definitions of conditions that trigger an alarm (e.g., when a specified data item representing an operational metric of the asset falls outside a defined range of normal behavior, when the state of a specified digital tag satisfies an alarm condition, etc.) and an alarm message to be presented in response to the alarm triggering. This alarm information may be referenced by a visualization system (e.g., an HMI application, an augmented reality or virtual reality system, etc.), which may present an alarm message regarding the industrial asset based on the alarm definition defined by the automation object 222.

[0091] Some embodiments of the automation object 222 may also define test properties as part of the global test framework supported by the IDE system 202. These test properties may include object-specific test scripts designed to test and debug associated aspects of the automation object 222 and the system project 302 that references the object 222. The object's test properties may also include object-specific test scenario definitions that define one or more test scenarios that can be advantageously run against the automation object 222 and the associated project elements that reference the object 222. The test scenario definitions may be pre-designed based on industry expertise related to the industrial asset or process represented by the automation object 222. The test properties associated with the automation object 222 may alleviate the need to write test scripts to test and debug the system project 302.

[0092] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the project testing component 210 of the IDE system testing an example system project 302 using test scripts 1002 bound to automation objects 222. Automation objects 222 may be provided with pre-bound test scripts 1002 specific to the type of industrial asset represented by the automation objects 222 and / or definitions of test scenarios 1004. During or after development of the system project 302 as described above, the project testing component 210 of the IDE system may, as appropriate, execute the test scripts 1002 associated with one or more selected automation objects 222 to verify the correct responses of the system project 302, thereby validating the project. To this end, the test scripts 1002 may define simulated test inputs 1012 to be provided to the automation objects 222 and / or the associated project code in which the objects 222 are used, as well as the expected responses of the automation objects 222 and their associated project code to the simulated inputs 1012.

[0093] According to an example test procedure, the project test component 210 can execute one or more test scripts 1002 associated with corresponding one or more automation objects 222 against the system project 302. Execution of the test scripts 1002 can involve, for example, feeding simulated test inputs 1012 to control code or other elements of the system project 302 according to a sequence defined by the test script 1002, setting values of digital or analog program variables defined by the system project 302 according to a defined sequence, initiating control routines of the system project 302 according to a defined sequence, testing animated objects or other visualization elements defined by the system project 302, verifying data links between control routines, verifying relationships between program elements and drawing elements, confirming that device configuration settings or parameter values are appropriate for a given industrial application executed by the system project 302, or otherwise interacting with the system project 302 according to a test procedure defined by the test script 1002. During testing, the project test component 210 can monitor the test results 1006 or responses of the system project 302 to the test interactions defined by the test script 1002 and determine whether these test results 1006 match the expected results defined by the test script 1002. In this way, the correct operation of the system project 302 can be verified before deployment without having to develop custom test scripts to debug the system project code.

[0094] In some testing scenarios, the test script 1002 can define a test sequence that is applied to the system project 302 as a whole in a holistic manner rather than to a specific control program or routine. For example, the project test component 210 can execute a test script 1002 that verifies links or relationships across design platforms, such as control code, visualization applications, electronic drawings, panel layout definitions, wiring schedules, piping diagrams, etc., which may not otherwise be tested.

[0095] If the test results 1006 indicate incorrect operation of one or more aspects of the system project 302, the project test component 210 can generate and present one or more design recommendations 1008 indicating possible modifications to the system project 302 that would correct the operation of the project. These design recommendations 1008 can include, for example, control code modifications or replacements, recommended corrections to data tag addresses, recommended corrections to HMI graphical object references, recommended corrections to mechanical or electrical drawings to be consistent with the control code (e.g., adding missing output devices to the electrical drawing corresponding to the output devices referenced by the control programming), recommended modifications to configuration parameters of industrial equipment, or other such corrections.

[0096] The test properties of some automation objects 222 can define multiple test scenarios 1004 that should be run on the object 222 and its corresponding control code and project elements to ensure comprehensive testing of the object 222 and related code. These scenarios 1004 are based on pre-learned industry expertise related to the industrial assets or processes represented by the automation objects and their related project elements. In some implementations, each defined test scenario 1004 can have its own associated test script 1002, or can define a specific way to apply the test script 1002 (e.g., which routines of the system project's control code should be verified, which other project elements should be cross-referenced for verification purposes, etc.). During testing of the system project 302, the project test component 210 can execute one or more test scripts 1002 in sequence according to each defined test scenario 1004 to comprehensively verify the correct operation of the system project 302 across all platforms (control programming, visualization configuration, mapping, device configuration, etc.).

[0097] In some embodiments, the project test component 210 can also be configured to generate a verification checklist based on the analysis of the system project 302 and output the verification checklist via the user interface component 204. The verification checklist can provide instructions for field tests and checks that should be performed in conjunction with commissioning the automation system for which the system project 302 is being developed. These field tests and checks can include tests that should be performed on the automation system hardware and electrical connections that cannot be performed solely by testing the system project 302. An example verification checklist can include a list of I / O points whose connectivity should be verified, instructions for visually inspecting equipment mounted on a panel, a sequence of manual operator panel interactions that should be performed to verify proper machine operation, or other such information.

[0098] Back to Figure 9 Automation object 222 may also include a history configuration as an attribute, which defines the data generated by the corresponding industrial asset to be archived in the data historian. This history configuration can be referenced by a data historian system or an application that executes a portion of system project 302 to configure the data historian system to collect and archive the data items defined by the configuration. Like other attributes of automation object 222, the history configuration attribute can specify a subset of available data generated by the corresponding industrial asset that is known to be relevant to an assessment of the asset's performance or operating condition, based on relevant industry expertise encoded into object 222.

[0099] Some embodiments of the automation object 222 may also define security features or protocols associated with the associated industrial asset. These security features may include, but are not limited to, the definition of user roles that are permitted to perform certain actions related to the industrial asset, encryption protocols to be applied to data generated by the asset, network security protocols to be implemented on the asset, or other such security features. The security information defined by these embodiments of the automation object 222 may be used by the system item 302 to control access to specified functions of the industrial asset (e.g., based on user roles), configure network devices to support specified network security protocols, or configure other security-related devices.

[0100] Implementations of the IDE system 202 may support a development framework whereby changes made to an automation object 222 stored in the automation object library 502 are propagated to instances of the automation object 222 used in the system project 302 . Figure 11 1 is a diagram illustrating submitting an automation object edit 1102 to the IDE system 202. As described above, the automation objects 222 are maintained in the automation object library 502 (which may be part of the memory 220). Through interaction with the user interface component 204 and the associated IDE editor 224, the developer can add selected automation objects 222 from the library 502 to the system project 302 as instances of these automation objects 222. Figure 11 , object 222 a is an instance of automation object 222 that a developer has selected and added to system project 302. In some scenarios, project generation component 206 can also automatically select and add automation object 222 to project 302 based on inferences related to the automation system for which project 302 is being developed (e.g., based on design goals or engineering drawings submitted to system 202).

[0101] The IDE editor 224 can allow a user to modify properties of a selected automation object 222 stored in the library 502. To this end, the user interface component 204 can generate a user interface and transmit the user interface to the client device 504 (e.g., via the IDE client 514), which enables the user to browse the available automation objects 222 and submit edits 1102 to the selected object 222. The above combination can be modified in this manner for any defined automation object 222. Figure 9For example, a designer may wish to modify the control code associated with a particular industrial asset (e.g., a pump, a tank, a press, etc.) having an automation object 222 having a definition stored in the library 502. Accordingly, the user may submit an edit 1102 that updates the control code for the associated automation object 222. Such an edit may be used to update the operation sequence or control behavior for the associated industrial asset.

[0102] Similarly, a user can submit an edit 1102 to update the visual properties of a selected automation object 222, for example, to replace or edit the graphical representation of the corresponding asset. An edit 1102 can also be submitted to add or remove an alarm from the list of alarm definitions associated with the object 222, or to edit an existing alarm definition. Security features, test scripts, and analysis code associated with the automation object 222 can also be modified by submitting the appropriate edit 1102.

[0103] These edits 1102 are to automation object definitions stored in the automation object library 502. Upon receiving the object edits 1102 (submitted via the user interface component 204) for the selected automation object 222, the project generation component 206 updates the target automation object 222 according to the received edits 1102 to produce an updated automation object 222. The updated automation object 222 replaces the previous version of the automation object 222 in the library 502.

[0104] The project generation component 206 may also update all instances of the automation object 222 found within the project 302 if instances of the automation object 222 that were subject to the edit 1102 had been added to an existing system project 302 prior to receiving the edit 1102 . Figure 12 1 is a diagram illustrating the modification of instances of an automation object 222a according to edits 1102 submitted to a master version of the automation object 222 stored in the library 502. Where an automation object 222 in the library 502 has been modified as described above, the project generation component 206 identifies all instances of the automation object 222a used in any system project 302 that uses the object 222 and propagates the modifications to those instances. This may include updating control code, visualization, analysis code, security features, or other properties to reflect the modifications defined by the edits 1102. In this manner, all instances of the automation object 222a automatically inherit the modifications made to the master version of the automation object 222 stored in the library 502.

[0105] Figure 12 The system project 302 is depicted as being stored on the IDE system 202 itself (e.g., in a Figure 8In the example scenario depicted in FIG2 , where the IDE system 202 is implemented as a cloud service, the automated object edits are stored on a cloud-based storage device. However, in some implementations, the IDE system 202 can also propagate the automated object edits to system projects that have been deployed to a local client device for local editing. Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating downloading a copy of a system project 302 from an IDE system 202 to a local client device 504. In this example, the client device 504 executes an IDE client 514 that allows the client device 504 to access the project development tools and environment of the IDE system. The IDE client 514 can be provided to the client device 504 by the IDE system 202, or it can be a client application installed on the client device 504 and configured to interface with the IDE system 202. A user can interact with the IDE client 514 to copy a version 3021 of the system project 302 from the cloud-based IDE system 202 to the local storage of the client device for local viewing and development. After the local version 3021 is copied, the master copy of the system project 302 is saved on the IDE system 202.

[0106] Once copied to the client device 504, the developer can view and edit the local version 3021 using the project development tools supported by the IDE client 514. At least some of these development tools may be similar to the development tools supported by the IDE system 202 described above (see, e.g., Figure 5 ). For example, some embodiments of the IDE client 514 can support the use of design guardrails to ensure that local edits made to the local version 3021 of the project - e.g., control program changes, HMI modifications, changes to device configuration parameters, modifications to automation objects, etc. - comply with internal or external design standards. As in the previous examples, various embodiments of the IDE client 514 can enable a user to submit edits to the local version 3021 of the project as one or more of control programming (e.g., ladder logic, DLS programming, sequential function charts, structured text, function block diagrams, etc.), design changes to a visualization application such as an HMI (e.g., addition, removal, or repositioning of graphical objects), industrial device configuration parameter values, or other such design input.

[0107] In an example scenario, a developer may choose to modify an existing system project 302 to make the project 302 suitable for deployment on an automation system that has characteristics that deviate from a typical installation and require modifications to the system project 302. For example, the system project 302 may be designed to program and configure a standardized automation system that is constructed to perform a specific industrial function and is installed at multiple locations or facilities of an industrial enterprise. The new installation of the automation system may deviate from the standard installation of the system in a variety of ways, including but not limited to replacing one or more devices in the automation system with devices provided by alternative suppliers, adding or omitting workstations, installation modifications to accommodate physical limitations of the installation location, special control requirements that deviate from standard requirements (e.g., differences in product design, control modifications to accommodate differences in materials or components used to manufacture the product), or other such deviations. To accommodate these changes, the developer may download a local version 3021 of the system project 302 and implement the necessary modifications on the local version 3021.

[0108] Figure 14 302. Figure 13 The local version 3021 of the system project 302 is described. The automation object library 502 containing the master version of the automation object 222 is still stored on the cloud platform associated with the IDE system 202. In this way, any authorized developer can access the automation library 502 and not only add the selected automation object 222 to the system project 302 but also modify the selected automation object 222 as part of the project development or to reflect the modification of the corresponding industrial asset represented by the object 222. Figure 14 In the example shown, a developer at the client device 504a submits a set of edits 1102 (e.g., updating the object's control code, visual representation, test script, etc.) to a selected automation object 222 stored on the library 502. In response to receiving these edits 1102, the project generation component 206 ( Figure 14 ) updates the master version of the selected automation object 222 stored in the library 502 based on the edit 1102.

[0109] Additionally, in the event that edits have been performed on the selected automation object 222, the project generation component 206 also identifies all locally stored and remotely stored versions of any system project 302 that have incorporated instances of the selected automation object 222. This includes identifying any system project 302 stored on cloud storage associated with the IDE system 202, as well as any versions 3021 of the system project 302 that have been downloaded to a local client device (e.g., the client device 504b) for local development. In this regard, the collaboration management component 210 can track all instances of the system project 302 that have been downloaded to the local client device so that these local versions of the project 302 can be updated as needed in response to modifications submitted to the cloud-based IDE system 202.

[0110] In response to the submission of the object edit 1102 and the corresponding modification to the master version of the automation object 222 targeted by the edit 1102, the project generation component 206 also distributes an automation object update 1402 to all IDE clients 514b on which local versions 3021 of the system project 302 that use the automation object 222 are stored. The update 1402 reflects the automation object edit 1102 submitted by the developer using the client device 504a, and when executed by the local IDE client 514b, the update 1402 updates all instances of the automation object 222 according to the edit 1102. In this manner, updates to the automation object 222 in the object library 502 are automatically propagated to all instances of the object 222 currently in use in the system project 302.

[0111] In some embodiments, the local developer at the client device 504b can be provided with the option of allowing the update 1402 to be merged into the local version 3021 of their system project 302 or to refuse to implement the update 1402. Thus, before updating the local version of the automation object 222, the user interface component 204 can present information about the object edits 1102 on the user's client device 504b and can also present a prompt for the developer to approve the local implementation of the edits. The information about the edits 1102 can include, for example, the identity of the automation objects 222 affected by the edits and a summary of each modification to the object 222 that will be implemented by the edits (e.g., an indication of which object properties will be modified and how these properties will be changed). Based on a review of the edits, the local developer can choose to implement the update 1402 on their local version 3021, or alternatively, the local developer can choose to refuse the edits and prevent the update 1402 from being implemented on the local version 3021 of the project 302.

[0112] Figure 15Various methodologies according to one or more embodiments of the present application are shown. Although the methodology shown herein is shown and described as a series of actions for the purpose of simplifying the description, it should be understood and appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the order of the actions, because according to the present invention, some actions may occur in an order different from the order shown and described herein and / or occur simultaneously with other actions. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that the methodology may alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events such as in a state diagram. In addition, not all shown actions are necessary to implement the methodology according to the present invention. In addition, when different entities formulate different parts of the method, an interaction diagram may represent a methodology or method according to the present disclosure. In addition, two or more of the disclosed example methods may be implemented in combination with each other to realize one or more features or advantages described herein.

[0113] Figure 15 An example methodology 1500 for propagating edits to automation objects to instances of objects used in one or more system projects is shown. Initially, at 1502, industrial design data is received via interaction with an industrial IDE system. The industrial design data may be submitted in the form of one or more of the following: industrial controller programs (e.g., ladder logic, sequential function charts, script control code such as industrial DSL, etc.), HMI screen development input, industrial equipment or equipment selection, engineering drawing input, etc. In some embodiments, the industrial design data may also include complete engineering drawings (e.g., P&ID diagrams, electrical diagrams, mechanical diagrams, etc.), which may be parsed and analyzed by the industrial IDE to identify components being designed in the industrial automation system (e.g., industrial equipment, machines, equipment, conduits, pipes, etc.) and the functional and physical relationships between these components.

[0114] In some embodiments, the design data may also include images or videos. For example, an image or video of the installation location where the industrial automation system being designed is to be installed may be submitted to the industrial IDE, which may analyze the image or video to identify physical elements within the installation area (e.g., walls, beams, safety fences, existing machines and equipment, etc.) and the physical relationships between these elements (e.g., the distances between machines or other physical elements, the lengths of pipes laid, the locations and distances of wire harnesses or cable trays, etc.). Based on the results of the mapping or image / video analysis, the industrial IDE may add components to the engineering schematic, generate control programming or visualization for the components identified in the mapping or image, generate appropriate device parameter settings, generate recommendations for optimal locations for the equipment or machines, and the like.

[0115] For implementations of an industrial IDE that supports target-based programming, the design data may also include an indication of desired design goals and associated design constraints, for example, in terms of required product or material output rates, maximum total energy consumption rates, constraints on installation space (which, as described above, may be obtained based on images or videos of the installation site), or other such parameters. Based on these design goals and constraints, the industrial IDE may generate at least a portion of an automation system project, including one or more of equipment or device selections, control code, drawings, visualizations, or equipment parameters that can meet the specified design goals in light of the specified constraints.

[0116] At 1504, an industrial automation system project is generated based on the design data received at step 1502. As part of the project generation process, at least one instance of an automation object selected from a library of available automation objects can be included in the project. Automation objects are the building blocks of industrial automation system projects and represent various types of real-world industrial assets or processes, including but not limited to pumps, tanks, valves, motors, motor drives (e.g., variable frequency drives), industrial robots, actuators (e.g., pneumatic or hydraulic actuators), or other such assets. Automation objects are associated with various properties or characteristics (e.g., control code, visualization objects or interfaces, test scripts, security features or protocols, etc.) depending on the asset or process they represent.

[0117] A system project includes one or more executable files that can be deployed and executed on at least one of an industrial control device (e.g., a PLC or another type of industrial control device), a human-machine interface terminal, or another type of industrial device. These files may include, for example, industrial control programming files, visualization application files, device configuration files, or other such executable components or configuration components, at least some of which are generated based on any automation objects included in the project. A system project may also include other engineering documents generated by the IDE system based on design inputs, including but not limited to engineering drawings (e.g., I / O drawings, electronic drawings, P&ID drawings, etc.), bills of materials, installation instructions, or other such documents.

[0118] At 1506, a determination is made as to whether object edit input has been received that defines a modification to one or more properties of the selected automation object stored in the automation library. The edit input may define a modification to one or more of the control code, visualization definition, test script, security protocol, or other properties of the object. If such object edit input has been received (yes at step 1506), the method proceeds to step 1508, where the one or more properties of the automation object in the selected library are updated.

[0119] At 1510, a determination is made as to whether the instance of the selected automation object updated at step 1508 is included in a system project (e.g., the system project generated at step 1504). If the instance of the edited automation object has not been incorporated into any system project (no at step 1510), the method returns to step 1506 and waits for receipt of additional object edit input data. Alternatively, if the instance of the edited automation project is already included in a system project (yes at step 1510), the method proceeds to step 1512, where one or more properties of the instance of the automation object are updated in the system project based on the update performed on the master version of the object stored in the library at step 1508. In some scenarios, the project being updated may reside on a common storage device (e.g., on a cloud storage device) with the industrial IDE system. Alternatively, the system project may reside on a client device that remotely accesses the IDE system's project development service, and the instance of the automation object may be remotely updated based on these updates.

[0120] The embodiments, systems and components described herein, as well as control systems and automation environments that can implement various aspects set forth in this specification, may include computer or network components, such as servers, clients, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), automation controllers, communication modules, mobile computers, onboard computers for mobile vehicles, wireless components, control components, etc., that are capable of interacting across a network. Computers and servers include one or more processors (electronic integrated circuits that use electrical signals to perform logical operations) configured to execute instructions stored in media such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), hard drives, and removable memory devices, such as memory sticks, memory cards, flash drives, external hard drives, etc.

[0121] Similarly, the term PLC or automation controller as used herein can include functionality that can be shared across multiple components, systems, and / or networks. As an example, one or more PLCs or automation controllers can communicate and collaborate with various network devices across a network. This can include substantially any type of controller, communication module, computer, input / output (I / O) device, sensor, actuator, and human-machine interface (HMI) that communicate via a network, including a control network, an automation network, and / or a public network. A PLC or automation controller can also communicate with and control various other devices, such as standard or safety-rated I / O modules, other programmable controllers, communication modules, sensors, actuators, output devices, etc., including analog modules, digital modules, programming / intelligent I / O modules.

[0122] The network may include public networks such as the Internet, intranets, and automation networks such as Control and Information Protocol (CIP) networks, including DeviceNet, ControlNet, safety networks, and Ethernet / IP. Other networks include Ethernet, DH / DH+, remote I / O, fieldbus, Modbus, Profibus, CAN, wireless networks, serial protocols, etc. In addition, network devices may include various possibilities (hardware components and / or software components). These include components such as switches with virtual local area network (VLAN) capabilities, LANs, WANs, proxies, gateways, routers, firewalls, virtual private network (VPN) devices, servers, clients, computers, configuration tools, monitoring tools, and / or other devices.

[0123] To provide context for various aspects of the disclosed subject matter, Figure 16 and Figure 17 The following discussion is intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable environment in which various aspects of the disclosed subject matter can be implemented. Although various embodiments have been described above in the general context of computer-executable instructions that can be executed on one or more computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that various embodiments can also be implemented in conjunction with other program modules and / or implemented as a combination of hardware and software.

[0124] Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methods of the present invention can be practiced with other computer system configurations, including single-processor or multi-processor computer systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, distributed computing systems, as well as personal computers, handheld computing devices, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, etc., each of which can be operably coupled to one or more associated devices.

[0125] The embodiments shown herein can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0126] Computing devices typically include various media, which may include computer-readable storage media, machine-readable storage media, and / or communication media, the two terms being used differently herein as follows. A computer-readable storage medium or machine-readable storage medium can be any available storage medium that can be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example and not limitation, a computer-readable storage medium or machine-readable storage medium can be implemented in conjunction with any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable or machine-readable instructions, program modules, structured data, or unstructured data.

[0127] Computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray disk (BD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, solid-state drives or other solid-state storage devices, or other tangible and / or non-transitory media that may be used to store the desired information. In this regard, the terms "tangible" or "non-transitory" as applied to storage, memory, or computer-readable media should be understood herein to exclude only the propagation of transient signals themselves as a modifier and not to disclaim all standard storage, memory, or computer-readable media that do not propagate only transient signals themselves.

[0128] Computer-readable storage media can be accessed by one or more local or remote computing devices, eg, via access requests, queries, or other data retrieval protocols, to perform various operations on the information stored by the media.

[0129] Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other structured or unstructured data in a data signal, such as a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery or transmission media. The term "modulated data signal" or signal refers to a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in one or more signals. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media include wired media, such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media, such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media.

[0130] Refer again Figure 16An example environment 1600 for implementing various embodiments of various aspects described herein includes a computer 1602, which includes a processing unit 1604, a system memory 1606, and a system bus 1608. The system bus 1608 couples system components, including but not limited to the system memory 1606, to the processing unit 1604. The processing unit 1604 can be any of various commercially available processors. Dual microprocessors and other multi-processor architectures can also be used as the processing unit 1604.

[0131] The system bus 1608 can be any of several types of bus structures that can also interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. The system memory 1606 includes ROM 1610 and RAM 1612. A basic input / output system (BIOS) containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer 1602, such as during startup, can be stored in a nonvolatile memory such as ROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or an EEPROM. RAM 1612 can also include high-speed RAM such as static RAM for caching data.

[0132] The computer 1602 also includes an internal hard disk drive (HDD) 1614 (e.g., EIDE, SATA), one or more external storage devices 1616 (e.g., a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD) 1616, a memory stick or flash drive reader, a memory card reader, etc.), and an optical drive 1620 (e.g., which can read from or write to a CD-ROM disk, a DVD, a BD, etc.). Although the internal HDD 1614 is shown as being located within the computer 1602, the internal HDD 1614 can also be configured for external use in a suitable enclosure (not shown). In addition, although not shown in the environment 1600, a solid-state drive (SSD) can be used in addition to or in place of the HDD 1614. The HDD 1614, the external storage device(s) 1616, and the optical drive 1620 can be connected to the system bus 1608 via an HDD interface 1624, an external storage interface 1626, and an optical drive interface 1628, respectively. The interface 1624 for external drive implementations may include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface technologies.Other external drive connection technologies are within contemplation of the embodiments described herein.

[0133] The drives and their associated computer-readable storage media provide non-volatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and the like. For computer 1602, the drives and storage media accommodate the storage of any data in a suitable digital format. While the above description of computer-readable storage media refers to a corresponding type of storage device, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of computer-readable storage media, whether currently existing or developed in the future, may also be used in the example operating environment, and further, any such storage media may contain computer-executable instructions for performing the methods described herein.

[0134] A number of program modules may be stored in the drives and RAM 1612, including an operating system 1630, one or more application programs 1632, other program modules 1634, and program data 1636. All or portions of the operating system, applications, modules, and / or data may also be cached in RAM 1612. The systems and methods described herein may be implemented using various commercially available operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0135] Computer 1602 may optionally include emulation technology. For example, a hypervisor (not shown) or other intermediary may emulate the hardware environment for operating system 1630, and the emulated hardware may optionally be different from the hardware of the operating system. Figure 16 . In such an embodiment, operating system 1630 may comprise one of a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) hosted at computer 1602. In addition, operating system 1630 may provide a runtime environment, such as a Java runtime environment or a .NET framework, for application 1632. A runtime environment is a consistent execution environment that enables application 1632 to run on any operating system that includes the runtime environment. Similarly, operating system 1630 may support containers, and application 1632 may be in the form of a container, which is a lightweight, standalone, executable software package that includes, for example, code, a runtime, system tools, system libraries, and settings for an application.

[0136] Furthermore, computer 1602 may be enabled with a security module, such as a Trusted Processing Module (TPM). For example, using a TPM, a guidance component hashes the next guidance component in time and waits for the result to match a security value before loading the next guidance component. This process can occur at any layer in the code execution stack of computer 1602, for example, at the application execution level or the operating system (OS) kernel level, thereby enabling security to be implemented at any code execution level.

[0137] A user can enter commands and information into the computer 1602 through one or more wired / wireless input devices such as a keyboard 1638, a touch screen 1640, and a pointing device such as a mouse 1642. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, an infrared (IR) remote control, a radio frequency (RF) remote control, or other remote control, a joystick, a virtual reality controller and / or a virtual reality headset, a game pad, a stylus, an image input device (e.g., (one or more) cameras), a gesture sensor input device, a visual movement sensor input device, an emotion or facial detection device, a biometric input device (e.g., a fingerprint or iris scanner), etc. These and other input devices are typically connected to the processing unit 1604 through an input device interface 1644, which can be coupled to the system bus 1608, but may also be connected through other interfaces such as a parallel port, an IEEE 1394 serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR port, a fingerprint scanner, a 3D image input device, or a combination thereof. Interface, etc.

[0138] A monitor 1644 or other type of display device may also be connected to the system bus 1608 via an interface, such as a video adapter 1648. In addition to the monitor 1644, computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers, and so forth.

[0139] The computer 1602 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections via wired and / or wireless communications to one or more remote computers, such as remote computer(s) 1648. The remote computer(s) 1648 can be a workstation, server computer, router, personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment device, peer device, or other general network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer 1602, although only a memory / storage device 1650 is shown for simplicity. The depicted logical connections include wired / wireless connections to a local area network (LAN) 1652 and / or a larger network, such as a wide area network (WAN) 1654. Such LAN and WAN networking environments are commonplace in offices and corporations and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which can be connected to a global communications network, such as the Internet.

[0140] When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 1602 can be connected to the local area network 1652 through a wired and / or wireless communication network interface or adapter 1656. The adapter 1656 can facilitate wired or wireless communication to the LAN 1652, which can also include a wireless access point (AP) disposed thereon for communicating with the adapter 1656 in a wireless mode.

[0141] When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 1602 can include a modem 1658 or can be connected to a communication server on the WAN 1654 via other means for establishing communications over the WAN 1654, such as through the Internet. The modem 1658, which can be internal or external and can be a wired or wireless device, can be connected to the system bus 1608 via the input device interface 1642. In a networked environment, program modules described relative to the computer 1602 or portions thereof can be stored in the remote memory / storage device 1650. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are examples and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used.

[0142] When used in a LAN or WAN networking environment, computer 1602 may access a cloud storage system or other network-based storage system in addition to or instead of external storage devices 1616 as described above. Typically, a connection between computer 1602 and a cloud storage system may be established over LAN 1652 or WAN 1654, for example, via adapter 1656 or modem 1658, respectively. When computer 1602 is connected to an associated cloud storage system, external storage interface 1626 may manage the storage provided by the cloud storage system, similar to other types of external storage, with the aid of adapter 1656 and / or modem 1658. For example, external storage interface 1626 may be configured to provide access to cloud storage sources as if they were physically connected to computer 1602.

[0143] The computer 1602 is operable to communicate with any wireless device or entity operatively arranged in wireless communication, such as printers, scanners, desktop and / or portable computers, portable data assistants, communication satellites, any equipment or location associated with a wirelessly detectable tag (e.g., a kiosk, newsstand, store shelf, etc.), and telephones. This may include Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and Thus, the communication may be a predefined structure like a conventional network or simply an ad hoc communication between at least two devices.

[0144] Figure 1717 is a schematic block diagram of a sample computing environment 1700 with which the disclosed subject matter can interact. Sample computing environment 1700 includes one or more clients 1702. Clients 1702 can be hardware and / or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). Sample computing environment 1700 also includes one or more servers 1704. Servers 1704 can also be hardware and / or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). Servers 1704 can accommodate threads to perform transformations by employing, for example, one or more embodiments described herein. One possible communication between clients 1702 and servers 1704 can be in the form of data packets suitable for transmission between two or more computer processes. Sample computing environment 1700 includes a communication framework 1706 that can be used to facilitate communication between clients 1702 and servers 1704. Clients 1702 are operably connected to one or more client data stores 1708 that can be used to store local information of clients 1702. Similarly, the server(s) 1704 are operatively connected to one or more server data stores 1710 that can be used to store information local to the servers 1704 .

[0145] The foregoing description includes examples of the present invention. Of course, it is not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the disclosed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many additional combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. Therefore, the disclosed subject matter is intended to encompass all such changes, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0146] In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the components, devices, circuits, systems, etc. described above, unless otherwise indicated, the terms used to describe such components (including references to "means") are intended to correspond to any component (e.g., any component that is functionally equivalent) that performs the specified functions of the described components, even if not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structures, that performs the functions in the exemplary aspects of the disclosed subject matter shown herein. In this regard, it will also be recognized that the disclosed subject matter includes systems as well as computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing the actions and / or events of the various methods of the disclosed subject matter.

[0147] Furthermore, while particular features of the disclosed subject matter may be disclosed for only one of several implementations, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given application or particular applications. Furthermore, to the extent the terms "includes" and "including" and variations thereof are used in the specification or claims, these terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising."

[0148] In this application, the word "exemplary" is used to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, the use of the word "exemplary" is intended to present concepts in a concrete manner.

[0149] Various aspects or features described herein can be implemented as methods, apparatus, or articles of manufacture using standard programming and / or engineering techniques. As used herein, the term "article of manufacture" is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device, carrier, or medium. For example, computer-readable media can include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic strips, etc.), optical disks [e.g., compact disks (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., cards, sticks, key drives, etc.).

Claims

1. A system for developing industrial applications, comprising: a memory storing a library of executable components and automation objects representing respective industrial assets, the automation objects having respective programming properties associated with the industrial assets; as well as A processor, operatively coupled to the memory, executes the executable component, wherein the executable component includes: a user interface component configured to present an integrated development environment (IDE) interface and to receive industrial design input defining aspects of an industrial automation project via interaction with the IDE interface; a project generation component configured to generate system project data based on the industrial design input, in, The system project data defines a system project and includes at least one of the following: an executable industrial control program, an industrial visualization application, or industrial equipment configuration data. The system project data further includes an instance of an automation object selected from among the automation objects stored in the library, and The project generation component is further configured to: in response to receiving object editing data defining edits to properties of the automation object via the user interface component, modify the automation object in the library and instances of the automation object included in the system project data according to the object editing data, wherein the properties of the automation object are test scripts designed to test and debug the automation object; and A project test component is configured to execute the test script to verify the system project data. The project test component is also configured to monitor test results or responses of the system project to test interactions defined in the test script during testing, and determine whether the test results or responses match the test results defined by the test script.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The attribute of the automation object is at least one of: a control code for monitoring and controlling the industrial asset represented by the automation object, a visualization object defining a graphical visualization of the industrial asset, an alarm definition for the industrial asset, a security feature of the industrial asset, a security protocol for the industrial asset, a test script configured to verify the operation of the automation object within the system project, or an analysis script configured to analyze data generated by the industrial asset.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The system is implemented on a cloud platform. The user interface component is configured to send a copy of the system project data to a client device, and The project generation component is configured to, in response to receiving the object edit data, modify an instance of an automation object included in the copy of the system project data according to the object edit data.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein: The user interface component is configured to present a summary of the edits and a prompt requesting acceptance of the edits on the client device, and The project generation component is configured to: In response to receiving input indicative of the acceptance via the user interface component, modifying the instance of the automation object, and In response to receiving input via the user interface component indicating rejection of the edit, modification of the instance of the automation object is prevented.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The system project data defines a hierarchical relationship between an instance of a first automation object and an instance of a second automation object, and The project generation component is configured to integrate first control logic associated with the instance of the first automation object and second control logic associated with the instance of the second automation object based on the hierarchical relationship.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein: The project generation component is configured to link a first data tag of the first control logic with a second data tag of the second control logic according to the hierarchical relationship defined by the system project data.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The automation object represents at least one of the following as the industrial asset: an industrial process, a controller, a control program, a tag within the control program, a machine, a motor, a motor drive, a telemetry device, a tank, a valve, a pump, an industrial safety device, an industrial robot, or an actuator.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a project deployment component, wherein the project deployment component is configured to: converting the system project data into at least two of the executable industrial control program, the industrial visualization application, or the industrial device configuration data, and At least two of the executable industrial control program, the industrial visualization application, or the industrial equipment configuration data are sent to corresponding industrial assets for execution.

9. A method for developing an industrial application, comprising: Presenting an integrated development environment (IDE) interface on a client device by a system including a processor; receiving, by the system via interaction with the IDE interface, industrial design input defining aspects of an industrial control and monitoring project; generating, by the system, system project data based on the industrial design input, wherein the generating comprises generating at least one of an executable industrial control program, an industrial visualization application, or industrial equipment configuration data, and the system project data comprises an instance of an automation object selected from a library of automation objects, the automation object representing a corresponding industrial asset and having corresponding programming properties related to the industrial asset; In response to receiving object edit data defining edits to properties of the automation object, modifying, by the system, the automation object in the library and instances of the automation object included in the system project data according to the object edit data, wherein the properties of the automation object are test scripts designed to test and debug the automation object; executing the test script by the system to verify the system project data; and A test result or a response of the system item to a test interaction defined in the test script is monitored during testing, and a determination is made as to whether the test result or response matches a test result defined by the test script.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The attribute of the automation object is at least one of: a control code for monitoring and controlling the industrial asset represented by the automation object, a visualization object defining a graphical visualization of the industrial asset, an alarm definition for the industrial asset, a security feature of the industrial asset, a security protocol for the industrial asset, a test script configured to verify the operation of the automation object within the system project, or an analysis script configured to analyze data generated by the industrial asset.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The system is implemented on a cloud platform, and The method further comprises: sending a copy of the system project data to a client device; and In response to receiving the object edit data, an instance of the automation object included in the copy of the system project data is modified according to the object edit data.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: presenting, by the system, on the client device a summary of the edits and a prompt requesting acceptance of the edits; in response to receiving input indicative of said acceptance via a user interface component, modifying an instance of said automation object; as well as In response to receiving input via the user interface component indicating rejection of the edit, modification of the instance of the automation object is prevented.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The system project data defines a hierarchical relationship between an instance of a first automation object and an instance of a second automation object, and The method also includes integrating, by the system, a first control code associated with the instance of the first automation object and a second control code associated with the instance of the second automation object based on the hierarchical relationship.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein The integration includes linking a first data tag of the first control code with a second data tag of the second control code according to the hierarchical relationship defined by the system project data.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein The automation object represents at least one of the following as the industrial asset: an industrial process, a controller, a control program, a tag within the control program, a machine, a motor, a motor drive, a telemetry device, a tank, a valve, a pump, an industrial safety device, an industrial robot, or an actuator.

16. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: converting, by the system, the system project data into at least two of the executable industrial control program, the industrial visualization application, or the industrial device configuration data, and The system sends at least two of the executable industrial control program, the industrial visualization application, or the industrial equipment configuration data to corresponding industrial assets for execution.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, in response to being executed, cause a system including a processor to perform operations comprising: Presenting an integrated development environment (IDE) interface on a client device; receiving industrial design input defining control design aspects of an industrial automation project from the client device via interaction with the IDE interface; Generating system project data based on the industrial design input, wherein: The generating includes generating at least one of an executable industrial control program, an industrial visualization application, or industrial equipment configuration data, and the system project data includes an instance of an automation object selected from a library of automation objects, the automation object representing a corresponding industrial asset and having corresponding programming properties related to the industrial asset; In response to receiving object edit data defining edits to properties of the automation object, modifying the automation object in the library and instances of the automation object included in the system project data according to the object edit data, wherein the properties of the automation object are test scripts designed to test and debug the automation object; executing the test script by the system to verify the system project data; and A test result or a response of the system item to a test interaction defined in the test script is monitored during testing, and a determination is made as to whether the test result or response matches a test result defined by the test script.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein: The attribute of the automation object is at least one of: a control code for monitoring and controlling the industrial asset represented by the automation object, a visualization object defining a graphical visualization of the industrial asset, an alarm definition for the industrial asset, a security feature of the industrial asset, a security protocol for the industrial asset, a test script configured to verify the operation of the automation object within the system project, or an analysis script configured to analyze data generated by the industrial asset.

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