Protocol adaptation middleware and methods supporting OPC UA and 5G integration

Abstract

This application discloses a protocol adaptation middleware and method supporting OPC UA and 5G integration. The protocol adaptation middleware runs on an integrated device that has OPC UA applications and supports connection to a 5G communication system. The protocol adaptation middleware includes a control interface, a data interface, and a management interface. The control interface is used to interface with the control plane of the 5G communication system to establish a data interaction channel for the OPC UA application based on the 5G communication system. The data interface is used to interface with the user plane of the 5G communication system to transmit OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel. The management interface is used to interface with the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data. Through three processes—connection establishment, data transmission, and network management—different OPC UA applications are adapted to connect to 5G network communication. Through the integration of OPC UA and 5G, interconnection, interoperability, and interoperability of heterogeneous industrial equipment can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of industrial control networks, specifically to a protocol adaptation middleware and method, storage medium, and computer equipment that support the integration of OPC UA and 5G. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, interoperability of devices in the industrial control network field faces various challenges. Firstly, industrial sites contain diverse system modules, such as ERP, MES, and APS, with varied versions and complex integration and nesting between systems. Furthermore, the construction of system platforms follows different sequences and standards at different times, leading to isolated system deployments and high deployment costs during upgrades. Secondly, the data sources of devices connected to these systems are diverse. Industrial sites contain hundreds of physical tables and tens of millions of fields, stored in thousands of different databases. Industrial software within the same industry or factory uses different data formats and interfaces, making interoperability difficult and data silos impossible to overcome. The interconnection, interoperability, and interoperability of devices in industrial sites have become a bottleneck restricting the development of the industrial control network field. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, this application provides a protocol adaptation middleware and method, storage medium, and computer equipment that support the integration of OPC UA and 5G. Addressing the urgent need to build a new industrial internet, by integrating OPC UA with 5G, OPC UA application data in different modes can be transmitted through the 5G communication system, realizing the wireless transformation of industrial automation equipment and unified communication between heterogeneous industrial protocols.

[0004] According to one aspect of this application, a protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration is provided. The protocol adaptation middleware runs on an integrated device, which has OPC UA applications and supports connection to a 5G communication system, the 5G communication system including a control plane, a user plane, and a management plane. The protocol adaptation middleware includes:

[0005] Control interface, data interface, and management interface;

[0006] The control interface is used to connect to the control plane of the 5G communication system and establish a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system.

[0007] The data interface is used to connect to the user plane of the 5G communication system and transmit OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel;

[0008] The management interface is used to connect to the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPCUA application data.

[0009] Optionally, the protocol adaptation middleware further includes:

[0010] The control interface is also used to perform offline configuration of the integrated device to obtain configuration data, wherein the configuration data includes at least one of input and output data, QoS (Quality of Service) requirements of OPC UA application, priority mapping table and communication cycle, and the configuration data is encapsulated in the form of XML (Extensible Markup Language) file;

[0011] The control interface is also used to transmit the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application to the control plane of the 5G communication system, so that the 5G communication system can establish a data interaction channel according to the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application, wherein the 5G communication system provides a 5G network to the integrated device through the data interaction channel;

[0012] The control interface is also used to synchronously update the 5G network parameters after the data interaction channel is established to the OPC UA connection manager, and save the 5G network parameters as initial network configuration information. The OPC UA connection manager runs on an integrated device or runs on a preset independent device.

[0013] The management interface is also used to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data based on the 5G network parameters.

[0014] Optionally, the protocol adaptation middleware further includes:

[0015] The data interface is also used to initiate a communication connection between the integrated device and the 5G communication system through the OPC UA connection manager;

[0016] The data interface is also used to transmit OPC UA application data according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application.

[0017] Optionally, the communication modes include client-server communication mode and publisher-subscriber communication mode; the protocol adaptation middleware further includes:

[0018] The data interface is also used to determine the communication mode according to the business type. When the communication mode is a client-server communication mode, a one-to-one "request-response" mechanism is adopted to send the client's data sending request to the server. The server responds to the data sending request and provides services to the client. The client and server run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0019] The data interface is also used to employ a one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many communication mechanism when the communication mode is a publisher-subscriber communication mode. The publisher publishes data according to a preset publishing rule, and the subscriber receives the data published by the publisher according to a preset receiving rule. The publisher and subscriber run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0020] Optionally, the protocol adaptation middleware further includes:

[0021] The network layer module is used to encapsulate OPC UA application data into network layer IP packets and transmit the network layer IP packets through the data interaction channel when the communication mode is client-server communication mode or publisher-subscriber communication mode.

[0022] The data link layer module is used to encapsulate OPC UA application data into Ethernet data frames of the data link layer when the communication mode is publisher-subscriber communication mode, and to transmit the Ethernet data frames through the data interaction channel.

[0023] Optionally, the protocol adaptation middleware further includes:

[0024] The management interface is also used to establish an OPC UA information model for the 5G communication system;

[0025] The management interface is also used to obtain network topology information, network status and network configuration information based on the OPC UA information model and 5G network capability open information, and to monitor and manage the 5G communication system based on the network topology information, the network status and the network configuration information.

[0026] According to another aspect of this application, a protocol adaptation method supporting OPC UA and 5G integration is provided, the method comprising:

[0027] The control plane of the 5G communication system is connected to establish a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system;

[0028] It connects to the user plane of the 5G communication system and transmits application data of OPC UA applications based on the data interaction channel;

[0029] It interfaces with the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operation status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data.

[0030] Optionally, the control plane that interfaces with the 5G communication system establishes a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system, including:

[0031] The integrated device is configured offline to obtain configuration data, wherein the configuration data includes at least one of input and output data, QoS (Quality of Service) requirements of OPC UA application, priority mapping table and communication cycle, and the configuration data is encapsulated in the form of XML (Extensible Markup Language) file;

[0032] The QoS requirements of the OPC UA application are transmitted to the control plane of the 5G communication system so that the 5G communication system can establish a data interaction channel according to the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application. The 5G communication system provides 5G network to the integrated device through the data interaction channel.

[0033] After the data interaction channel is established, the 5G network parameters are synchronously updated to the OPC UA connection manager, and the 5G network parameters are saved as initial network configuration information. The OPC UA connection manager runs on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0034] Accordingly, the management interface of the 5G communication system monitors the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data, including:

[0035] Monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data based on the 5G network parameters.

[0036] Optionally, the user plane of the 5G communication system transmits OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel, including:

[0037] Initiate the communication connection between the integrated device and the 5G communication system through the OPC UA connection manager;

[0038] Transmit OPC UA application data according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application.

[0039] Optionally, the communication mode includes a client-server communication mode and a publisher-subscriber communication mode; the transmission of OPC UA application data according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application includes:

[0040] The communication mode is determined according to the business type. When the communication mode is a client-server communication mode, a one-to-one "request-response" mechanism is adopted. The client sends a data sending request to the server, the server responds to the data sending request, and provides services to the client. The client and server run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0041] When the communication mode is publisher-subscriber communication mode, a one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many communication mechanism is adopted. The publisher publishes data according to the preset publishing rules, and the subscriber receives the data published by the publisher according to the preset receiving rules. The publisher and subscriber run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0042] Optionally, transmitting OPC UA application data according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application includes:

[0043] When the communication mode is client-server communication mode or publisher-subscriber communication mode, the application data of OPC UA application is encapsulated into network layer IP packets and transmitted through the data interaction channel.

[0044] When the communication mode is publisher-subscriber communication mode, the application data of the OPC UA application is encapsulated into Ethernet data frames of the data link layer and transmitted through the data interaction channel.

[0045] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0046] Establish an OPC UA information model for 5G communication systems;

[0047] Based on the OPC UA information model and 5G network capability open information, network topology information, network status and network configuration information are obtained, and the 5G communication system is monitored and managed based on the network topology information, network status and network configuration information.

[0048] According to another aspect of this application, a storage medium is provided that stores a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described protocol adaptation method.

[0049] According to another aspect of this application, a computer device is provided, including a storage medium, a processor, and a computer program stored on the storage medium and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the above-described protocol adaptation method.

[0050] Based on the above technical solutions, this application provides a protocol adaptation middleware and method, storage medium, and computer device that support OPC UA and 5G integration. The protocol adaptation middleware runs on an integrated device that has OPC UA applications and supports connection to a 5G communication system. The 5G communication system includes a control plane, a user plane, and a management plane. The protocol adaptation middleware includes a control interface, a data interface, and a management interface. The control interface is used to interface with the control plane of the 5G communication system to establish a data interaction channel for the OPC UA application based on the 5G communication system. The data interface is used to interface with the user plane of the 5G communication system to transmit OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel. The management interface is used to interface with the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of the OPC UA application data. The protocol adaptation middleware is independent of OPC UA devices and 5G communication devices. By integrating with OPC UA through 5G, OPC UA data can be transmitted through the 5G network. It fully utilizes the unification of communication protocols of automation equipment with different protocols in industrial scenarios by OPC UA and the high reliability and low latency characteristics of 5G network. It can realize the wirelessization of OPC UA devices and meet the communication requirements of heterogeneous protocol devices in industrial scenarios.

[0051] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a client-server communication mode provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another client-server communication mode provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another client-server communication mode provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a publisher-subscriber communication mode provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a protocol adaptation method that supports OPC UA and 5G integration, provided as an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0060] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other.

[0061] This embodiment provides a protocol adaptation middleware that supports OPC UA and 5G integration, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the protocol adaptation middleware runs on an integrated device, which has OPC UA applications and supports connection to a 5G communication system. The 5G communication system includes a control plane, a user plane, and a management plane. The protocol adaptation middleware includes:

[0062] Control interface 101, data interface 102 and management interface 103;

[0063] The control interface 101 is used to interface with the control plane of the 5G communication system and establish a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system.

[0064] OPC UA, short for Open Platform Communications – Unified Architecture, is a technical specification for communication between different devices and systems. Through OPC UA, various devices and systems can exchange and share data, achieving more efficient industrial automation. OPC UA securely connects operational technology and machine control to information technology to provide optimized intelligent data integration, ensuring secure and reliable interoperability by providing contextual information to devices. OPC UA unifies communication methods within machines, between machines, and between machines and intelligent systems, enabling interconnection, interoperability, and communication of heterogeneous devices. OPC UA is independent of transmission protocols, vendors, platforms, markets, and operating systems, possessing scalability from sensors to the cloud. OPC UA, along with its accompanying protocol specifications, effectively supports the interconnection of modern smart factories and digital workshops. OPC UA is more than just a protocol; it integrates a series of technologies to ensure secure exchange of standardized information at all levels between sensors and the cloud.

[0065] As robots move and operate in industrial settings, the demand for multi-machine collaboration is increasing, necessitating highly reliable, low-latency wireless networks to carry industrial data. Fifth-generation mobile communication (5G) technology offers three major application scenarios: enhanced bandwidth mobile communication, massive machine-type communication, and ultra-reliable real-time communication, meeting the diverse application needs in industry. With the ongoing commercial deployment of 5G, its ultra-low latency, ultra-high reliability, and ultra-low jitter characteristics further improve the industrial internet system. 5G-based industrial wireless communication can meet the flexible networking requirements in industrial scenarios.

[0066] Combining 5G with OPC UA enables simultaneous device interconnection and data interoperability. 5G eliminates the constraints of wired connections and ensures deterministic latency and highly reliable end-to-end network data transmission. OPC UA provides a universal data parsing mechanism, enabling various buses, real-time Ethernet, and industrial wireless to achieve unified semantic interoperability specifications, and provides 5G usage specifications at the application layer, improving the ease of use and interactivity of 5G.

[0067] In the embodiments described above, the integrated device includes an OPC UA application and supports connection to a 5G communication system. This 5G communication system can operate in licensed or unlicensed frequency bands. Protocol adaptation middleware is applied to the integrated device to transmit OPC UA application data via the 5G communication system. The integrated device can operate at the enterprise layer, shop floor layer, monitoring and control layer, field layer, and control layer, enabling end-to-end communication between different OPC UA applications. Specifically, OPC UA applications can share a single device or be distributed across different devices, depending on the specific industrial business requirements.

[0068] Specifically, control interface 101 interfaces with the control plane of the 5G communication system, and then establishes a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system, so that application data can be transmitted through the data interaction channel subsequently. The number of data channels is determined by the industrial business and the 5G communication system (5G network), and can be one or multiple. When multiple OPC UA applications share a single device, one data interaction channel is established; when each OPC UA application is distributed on a separate device, an independent data interaction channel is established for each device. This can avoid network congestion during data transmission and improve the security of data transmission.

[0069] The data interface 102 is used to connect to the user plane of the 5G communication system and transmit OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel.

[0070] Next, data interface 102 connects to the user plane of the 5G communication system and transmits OPC UA application data through the data interaction channel. The application data is transmitted in real-time to ensure the determinism of industrial services. Industrial services include periodic and non-periodic services. Periodic services have cycles such as 4ms or 16ms, while non-periodic services include sudden alarms. Industrial equipment generates data according to the service cycle. When industrial equipment generates data, at the instant the data is generated, the protocol adaptation middleware of this application immediately transmits the data through the 5G network via the data interaction channel to achieve "real-time transmission".

[0071] The management interface 103 is used to connect to the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operation status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data.

[0072] Finally, the management interface 103 interfaces with the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the data transmission status of the OPC UA application and the operating status of the 5G communication system. In particular, the management interface 103 can also provide network management strategies based on the monitoring results. For example, when the monitoring results show that network congestion has occurred, additional data interaction channels can be added based on the size of the OPC UA application data to be transmitted. The number of data interaction channels can be determined based on the actual size of the application data so that OPC UA application data can be transmitted simultaneously through multiple data interaction channels to prevent network congestion.

[0073] After generating monitoring results, the monitoring results, such as the transmission status of OPC UA application data, can be sent to a preset information receiving device at preset time intervals. This allows for real-time monitoring of the transmission status of OPC UA application data and enables adjustments to network configuration or addition of data interaction channels based on data transmission status. For example, when an error alarm occurs, an error report can be generated immediately based on the faulty component and sent to the preset information receiving device, allowing administrators to adjust network configuration or debug industrial equipment at any time.

[0074] The protocol adaptation middleware in the above embodiments of this application adapts different OPC UA applications to communicate via 5G networks through three processes: connection establishment, data transmission, and network management. By integrating OPC UA with 5G, it supports 5G-enabled heterogeneous OPC UA applications, enabling interconnection, interoperability, and seamless communication of heterogeneous industrial equipment. This promotes the wireless and flattening transformation of industrial sites and facilitates the construction of a new industrial internet architecture.

[0075] Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the protocol adaptation middleware further includes:

[0076] The control interface 101 is also used to perform offline configuration of the integrated device to obtain configuration data, wherein the configuration data includes at least one of input and output data, QoS (Quality of Service) requirements of OPC UA application, priority mapping table and communication cycle, and the configuration data is encapsulated in the form of XML (Extensible Markup Language) file.

[0077] The control interface 101 is also used to transmit the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application to the control plane of the 5G communication system, so that the 5G communication system can establish a data interaction channel according to the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application, wherein the 5G communication system provides a 5G network to the integrated device through the data interaction channel.

[0078] The control interface 101 is also used to synchronously update the 5G network parameters after the data interaction channel is established to the OPCUA connection manager, and save the 5G network parameters as initial network configuration information. The OPCUA connection manager runs on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0079] The management interface 103 is also used to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPCUA application data according to the 5G network parameters.

[0080] In the above embodiments of this application, the control interface 101 performs offline configuration of the integrated device to obtain configuration data after offline configuration of the integrated device. The configuration data includes input / output data, QoS requirements of the OPC UA application, priority mapping table, communication cycle, and other parameters, and is encapsulated in XML file format. The input / output data is industrial equipment data, such as sensor data and control data for input / output (I / O) between the PLC master controller and slave devices, and can be analog or digital. Encapsulating the configuration data in XML is the configuration for the OPC UA application. The OPC UA information model file uses XML format to define the structure and attributes of data types and object instances, describing the objects, variables, methods, and events available in the server, as well as the attributes, relationships, and behaviors of these elements. The XML format information model file can be transmitted over a network or storage medium and interact between the client and server. The XML file format encapsulation provides a flexible and scalable way to define and transmit application data in OPC UA, enabling different vendors or applications to share and parse the data types and object instances defined by OPC UA, thereby achieving interoperability and data exchange.

[0081] Offline configuration serves as a prerequisite for industrial equipment communication. Once the offline configuration of the integrated device is completed, formal communication commences. Control interface 101 transmits the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application to the control plane of the 5G communication system. This enables the 5G communication system to establish a data interaction channel based on the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application. The 5G communication system then provides the 5G network to the integrated device through this data interaction channel. Specifically, the 5G network connection is established based on the service requirements of the OPC UA application. That is, according to the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application, pre-encapsulated data frames or data packets are transmitted to the 5G communication system. Then, the 5G communication system establishes a 5G network connection with the integrated device based on the encapsulated QoS requirements of the OPC UA application.

[0082] The 5G communication system establishes a 5G network connection according to the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application, and simultaneously transmits the network parameters after the 5G network connection to the connection manager of the OPC UA application for network monitoring and management. Specifically, the control interface 101 synchronously updates the 5G network parameters after the data interaction channel is established to the OPC UA connection manager, and saves the network parameters as initial network configuration information. The OPC UA connection manager runs on an integrated device or a preset independent device. Next, the management interface 103 monitors the transmission status of the OPC UA application data according to the 5G network parameters. Based on the monitoring results, the 5G network parameters can be adjusted at any time, or when network congestion is detected, the number of data interaction channels can be increased to alleviate network congestion and improve transmission efficiency.

[0083] The data interface 102 is also used to initiate a communication connection between the integrated device and the 5G communication system through the OPC UA connection manager.

[0084] The data interface 102 is also used to transmit OPC UA application data according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application.

[0085] In the above embodiments of this application, the data interface 102 initiates the communication connection between the integrated device and the 5G communication system through the OPC UA connection manager, that is, it enables the 5G communication connection for the integrated device. Then, the data interface 102 transmits application data to the OPC UA application according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application. Different service types correspond to different communication modes. After determining the service type, the data interface 102 immediately transmits data to the OPC UA application according to the communication mode corresponding to the service type.

[0086] The data interface is also used to determine the communication mode according to the business type. When the communication mode is a client-server communication mode, a one-to-one "request-response" mechanism is adopted to send the client's data sending request to the server. The server responds to the data sending request and provides services to the client. The client and server run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0087] The data interface is also used to employ a one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many communication mechanism when the communication mode is a publisher-subscriber communication mode. The publisher publishes data according to a preset publishing rule, and the subscriber receives the data published by the publisher according to a preset receiving rule. The publisher and subscriber run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0088] In the above embodiments of this application, the data interface 102 determines the communication mode according to the business type. When the communication mode is a client-server communication mode, a one-to-one "request-response" mechanism is adopted. The client sends a data sending request to the server, and the server responds to the data sending request and provides services to the client. The client and server run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device. In particular, in communication between different industrial devices, one party acts as a client and the other party acts as a server. That is, an industrial device can act as either a client or a server. The determination of the client and server depends on the industrial business. The client-server (C / S) communication mode adopts a one-to-one "request-response" mechanism, that is, the client requests data or services, and the server responds to the request and provides data or services. Figures 2-4 This illustrates three client-server communication modes. Figure 2 In this system, integrated device A acts as a client, communicating with integrated devices B, C, and D. The server can be located inside integrated device B, as external software of integrated device C, or as a gateway connected to integrated device D. Figure 3 In this process, integrated device A acts as a client and communicates with integrated devices B, C, and D through a server located in external software. Figure 4 In this system, integrated device A acts as both a client and a server, communicating with integrated devices B, C, and D. The server can be located inside integrated device B, as external software of integrated device C, or as a gateway connected to integrated device D.

[0089] When the communication mode is publisher-subscriber, data interface 102 adopts a one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many communication mechanism. The publisher publishes data according to preset publishing rules, and the subscribers receive the data published by the publisher according to preset receiving rules. The publisher and subscribers run on an integrated device or a preset independent device, enabling the publisher to publish data according to publishing rules, while one or more subscribers receive the data. The publisher-subscriber (P / S) communication mode is equivalent to a broadcast mode; the publisher can send data according to business needs, while different subscribers only receive the data they need. Specifically, the protocol adaptation middleware supports all communication modes supported by OPC UA applications; the choice of communication mode depends on the business type. Figure 5 This diagram illustrates a publisher-subscriber communication model. Publishers A, C, and E publish data according to business needs, while subscribers B, D, and F receive the required data according to their business needs.

[0090] In this embodiment of the application, optionally, as shown in the example... Figure 6 As shown, the protocol adaptation middleware also includes:

[0091] The network layer module 104 is used to encapsulate the application data of the OPC UA application into network layer IP packets and transmit the network layer IP packets through the data interaction channel when the communication mode is client-server communication mode or publisher-subscriber communication mode.

[0092] The data link layer module 105 is used to encapsulate the application data of the OPC UA application into Ethernet data frames of the data link layer when the communication mode is publisher-subscriber communication mode, and transmit the Ethernet data frames through the data interaction channel.

[0093] In the above embodiments of this application, when the OPC UA application transmits data through a 5G network, it can use two protocol layers of the 5G protocol stack for data transmission according to the OPC UA communication mode. The protocol layers include the network layer and the data link layer. Specifically, when the communication mode is a client-server communication mode or a publisher-subscriber communication mode, the network layer module 104 encapsulates the OPC UA application data into a network layer IP packet and transmits the network layer IP packet through the data interaction channel. When the communication mode is a publisher-subscriber communication mode, the data link layer module 105 encapsulates the OPC UA application data into an Ethernet data frame (encapsulated data) of the data link layer and transmits the Ethernet data frame through the data interaction channel.

[0094] The management interface 103 is also used to establish an OPC UA information model for the 5G communication system.

[0095] The management interface 103 is also used to obtain network topology information, network status and network configuration information based on the OPC UA information model and 5G network capability open information, and to monitor and manage the 5G communication system based on the network topology information, the network status and the network configuration information.

[0096] In the above embodiments of this application, the management interface 103 establishes an OPC UA information model for the 5G communication system, obtains network topology information, network status and network configuration information based on the OPC UA information model and 5G network capability open information, and monitors and manages the 5G network based on the network topology information, network status and network configuration information.

[0097] In particular, in one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the OPC UA application provides application data to the protocol adaptation middleware. The protocol adaptation middleware adopts different communication modes according to the requirements of the OPC UA application. The communication modes include "client-server communication mode" and "publisher-subscriber communication mode". According to the communication mode, the protocol adaptation middleware uses the protocol layer in the 5G protocol stack to encapsulate the data. The protocol layer includes the network layer and the data link layer. The protocol adaptation middleware interfaces the encapsulated application data (i.e., encapsulated data) with the control plane, user plane and management plane of the 5G communication system respectively, to establish a data interaction channel based on the 5G network for the OPC UA application, transmit data and provide network monitoring and management services for the OPC UA application.

[0098] Through protocol adaptation middleware, based on the type and information model of different OPC UA applications, client-server or publisher-subscriber communication modes are selected. Through connection establishment, data transmission, and network management, different OPC UA applications are adapted to achieve end-to-end communication via the data link layer or network layer of the 5G network. The integration of OPC UA with 5G supports 5G networks carrying heterogeneous OPC UA applications, enabling interconnection and interoperability of heterogeneous industrial equipment, promoting the wireless and flattened transformation of industrial sites, and building a new industrial internet architecture.

[0099] By applying the technical solution of this embodiment, the protocol adaptation middleware runs on an integrated device. This integrated device has OPC UA applications and supports connection to a 5G communication system. The 5G communication system includes a control plane, a user plane, and a management plane. The protocol adaptation middleware includes a control interface, a data interface, and a management interface. The control interface interfaces with the control plane of the 5G communication system to establish a data interaction channel for the OPC UA application. The data interface interfaces with the user plane of the 5G communication system to transmit OPC UA application data through the data interaction channel. The management interface interfaces with the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data. Through the three processes of connection establishment, data transmission, and network management, different OPC UA applications can communicate via the 5G network. The integration of OPC UA and 5G enables the interconnection, interoperability, and interoperability of heterogeneous industrial equipment.

[0100] Furthermore, as a refinement and extension of the specific implementation methods of the above embodiments, and to fully illustrate the specific implementation process of this embodiment, a protocol adaptation method is provided, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the method includes:

[0101] Step 201: Connect to the control plane of the 5G communication system and establish a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system;

[0102] Step 202: Connect to the user plane of the 5G communication system and transmit OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel;

[0103] Step 203: Connect to the management interface of the 5G communication system to monitor the operation status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data.

[0104] Optionally, the control plane that interfaces with the 5G communication system establishes a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system, including:

[0105] The integrated device is configured offline to obtain configuration data, wherein the configuration data includes at least one of input and output data, QoS (Quality of Service) requirements of OPC UA application, priority mapping table and communication cycle, and the configuration data is encapsulated in the form of XML (Extensible Markup Language) file;

[0106] The QoS requirements of the OPC UA application are transmitted to the control plane of the 5G communication system so that the 5G communication system can establish a data interaction channel for the integrated device according to the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application. The 5G communication system provides 5G network to the integrated device through the data interaction channel.

[0107] After the data interaction channel is established, the 5G network parameters are synchronously updated to the OPC UA connection manager, and the 5G network parameters are saved as initial network configuration information. The OPC UA connection manager runs on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0108] Accordingly, the management interface of the 5G communication system monitors the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data, including:

[0109] Monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data based on the 5G network parameters.

[0110] Optionally, the user plane of the 5G communication system transmits OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel, including:

[0111] Initiate the communication connection between the integrated device and the 5G communication system through the OPC UA connection manager;

[0112] Transmit application data to the OPC UA application according to its communication mode.

[0113] Optionally, the communication mode includes a client-server communication mode and a publisher-subscriber communication mode; the transmission of OPC UA application data according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application includes:

[0114] The communication mode is determined according to the business type. When the communication mode is a client-server communication mode, a one-to-one "request-response" mechanism is adopted. The client sends a data sending request to the server, the server responds to the data sending request, and provides services to the client. The client and server run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0115] When the communication mode is publisher-subscriber communication mode, a one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many communication mechanism is adopted. The publisher publishes data according to the preset publishing rules, and the subscriber receives the data published by the publisher according to the preset receiving rules. The publisher and subscriber run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

[0116] Optionally, transmitting OPC UA application data according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application includes:

[0117] When the communication mode is client-server communication mode or publisher-subscriber communication mode, the application data of OPC UA application is encapsulated into network layer IP packets and transmitted through the data interaction channel.

[0118] When the communication mode is publisher-subscriber communication mode, the application data of the OPC UA application is encapsulated into Ethernet data frames of the data link layer and transmitted through the data interaction channel.

[0119] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0120] Establish an OPC UA information model for 5G communication systems;

[0121] Based on the OPC UA information model and 5G network capability open information, network topology information, network status and network configuration information are obtained, and the 5G communication system is monitored and managed based on the network topology information, network status and network configuration information.

[0122] Based on the above, Figure 8 Accordingly, this application also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method. Figure 8 The protocol adaptation method shown.

[0123] Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product. This software product can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, or portable hard drive), and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (such as a personal computer, server, or network device) to execute the methods described in the various implementation scenarios of this application.

[0124] Based on the above, Figure 8 To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a computer device, specifically a personal computer, server, network device, etc., as shown in the method. The computer device includes a storage medium and a processor; the storage medium stores a computer program; the processor executes the computer program; and a 5G communication module is used for 5G wireless communication to achieve the above objectives. Figure 8 The protocol adaptation method shown.

[0125] Optionally, the computer device may also include a user interface, a network interface, a camera, radio frequency (RF) circuitry, sensors, audio circuitry, a Wi-Fi module, etc. The user interface may include a display screen, input units such as a keyboard, etc., and optional user interfaces may also include USB interfaces, card reader interfaces, etc. The network interface may optionally include standard wired interfaces, wireless interfaces (such as Bluetooth interfaces, Wi-Fi interfaces), etc.

[0126] Those skilled in the art will understand that the computer device structure provided in this embodiment does not constitute a limitation on the computer device, and may include more or fewer components, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0127] The storage medium may also include an operating system and a network communication module. The operating system is a program that manages and stores the hardware and software resources of a computer device, supporting the operation of information processing programs and other software and / or programs. The network communication module is used to enable communication between the various components within the storage medium, as well as communication with other hardware and software within the physical device.

[0128] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that this application can be implemented using software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, or it can be implemented in hardware. By applying the technical solution of this embodiment, the protocol adaptation middleware runs on an integrated device. The integrated device has OPC UA applications and supports connection to a 5G communication system. The protocol adaptation middleware includes a control interface, a data interface, and a management interface. The control interface 101 is used to interface with the control plane of the 5G communication system to establish a data interaction channel for the OPC UA application based on the 5G communication system. The data interface 102 is used to interface with the user plane of the 5G communication system to transmit OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel. The management interface 103 is used to interface with the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of the OPC UA application data. Through the three processes of connection establishment, data transmission, and network management, different OPC UA applications are adapted to communicate via the 5G network. Through the integration of OPC UA and 5G, interconnection, interoperability, and interoperability of heterogeneous industrial equipment can be achieved.

[0129] Those skilled in the art will understand that the accompanying drawings are merely schematic diagrams of a preferred embodiment, and the modules or processes shown in the drawings are not necessarily essential for implementing this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that the modules in the apparatus of the embodiment can be distributed within the apparatus of the embodiment as described, or can be modified to be located in one or more apparatuses different from this embodiment. The modules of the above-described embodiment can be combined into one module, or further divided into multiple sub-modules.

[0130] The serial numbers in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of any particular implementation scenario. The above disclosures are merely a few specific implementation scenarios of this application; however, this application is not limited thereto, and any variations conceived by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration, characterized in that, The protocol adaptation middleware runs on an integrated device, which has OPC UA application and supports connection to a 5G communication system, which includes a control plane, a user plane, and a management plane. The protocol adaptation middleware includes: a control interface, a data interface, and a management interface; The control interface is used to connect to the control plane of the 5G communication system and establish a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system. The data interface is used to connect to the user plane of the 5G communication system and transmit OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel; The management interface is used to connect to the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data.

2. The protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control interface is also used to perform offline configuration of the integrated device to obtain configuration data, wherein the configuration data includes at least one of input and output data, QoS (Quality of Service) requirements of OPC UA application, priority mapping table and communication cycle, and the configuration data is encapsulated in the form of XML (Extensible Markup Language) file; The control interface is also used to transmit the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application to the control plane of the 5G communication system, so that the 5G communication system can establish a data interaction channel according to the QoS requirements of the OPC UA application, wherein the 5G communication system provides a 5G network to the integrated device through the data interaction channel; The control interface is also used to synchronously update the 5G network parameters after the data interaction channel is established to the OPC UA connection manager, and save the 5G network parameters as initial network configuration information. The OPC UA connection manager runs on an integrated device or runs on a preset independent device. The management interface is also used to monitor the operating status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data based on the 5G network parameters.

3. The protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration according to claim 2, characterized in that, The data interface is also used to initiate a communication connection between the integrated device and the 5G communication system through the OPC UA connection manager; The data interface is also used to transmit OPC UA application data according to the communication mode of the OPC UA application.

4. The protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration according to claim 3, characterized in that, The communication modes include client-server communication mode and publisher-subscriber communication mode; The data interface is also used to determine the communication mode according to the business type. When the communication mode is a client-server communication mode, a one-to-one "request-response" mechanism is adopted to send the client's data sending request to the server. The server responds to the data sending request and provides services to the client. The client and server run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device. The data interface is also used to employ a one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many communication mechanism when the communication mode is a publisher-subscriber communication mode. The publisher publishes data according to a preset publishing rule, and the subscriber receives the data published by the publisher according to a preset receiving rule. The publisher and subscriber run on an integrated device or on a preset independent device.

5. The protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration according to claim 4, characterized in that, The network layer module is used to encapsulate OPC UA application data into network layer IP packets and transmit the network layer IP packets through the data interaction channel when the communication mode is client-server communication mode or publisher-subscriber communication mode. The data link layer module is used to encapsulate OPC UA application data into Ethernet data frames of the data link layer when the communication mode is publisher-subscriber communication mode, and to transmit the Ethernet data frames through the data interaction channel.

6. The protocol adaptation middleware supporting OPC UA and 5G integration according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The management interface is also used to establish an OPC UA information model for the 5G communication system; The management interface is also used to obtain network topology information, network status and network configuration information based on the OPC UA information model and 5G network capability open information, and to monitor and manage the 5G communication system based on the network topology information, the network status and the network configuration information.

7. A protocol adaptation method supporting OPC UA and 5G integration, characterized in that, The method includes: The control plane of the 5G communication system is connected to establish a data interaction channel for OPC UA applications based on the 5G communication system; It connects to the user plane of the 5G communication system and transmits OPC UA application data based on the data interaction channel; It interfaces with the management plane of the 5G communication system to monitor the operation status of the 5G communication system and the transmission status of OPC UA application data.

8. A storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the protocol adaptation method for supporting OPC UA and 5G integration as described in claim 7.

9. A computer device, comprising a storage medium, a processor, and a computer program stored on the storage medium and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the protocol adaptation method for supporting OPC UA and 5G integration as described in claim 7.

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