Process control using digital twinning

Abstract

The invention aims to provide a process control method based on digital twinning, which is used for efficiently and accurately realizing a process target. To now, a controller service module (18) runs an event-driven control process in the digital twin domain for controlling process entities operated in the process domain. The behavior of the process entity is modeled by the execution state machine model. The event data is asynchronously transmitted to a controller service module (18) for storage in a process loop buffer (26). A model-based process controller (24) reads input information in a processing cycle and controls process entities to reflect the input of event data by operating a state machine model. It is checked whether operation of the state machine model triggers generation of external control commands, which are then output by the outbound interface (32) to the process entity for control processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a controller service system, a controller service module operated in the controller service system, and a method for operating the controller service system and the controller service module. The controller service system implements event-driven process control in a digital twin domain to control process entities operated in the process domain. Background Art

[0002] Today, digital twins are used as digital counterparts to physical assets, processes, or even non-physical objects in real-world environments. Digital twins are also used to virtually represent operational data such as the movements, forces, or interactions that a physical asset might experience in a real-world environment.

[0003] Today, digital twin deployments focus primarily on real-time data interaction, for example, to improve access to data, reduce maintenance costs, enhance process decision-making, improve operational efficiency, or support quality control.

[0004] However, while digital twins allow large amounts of data to be collected in real time, using the collected data efficiently for process control in process domains such as manufacturing, automotive, and healthcare is still an area of ​​developing technology. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above situation, the underlying technical problem of the present invention is to provide a process control method based on digital twins for efficient and accurate realization of process objectives.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, this technical problem is achieved by a controller service module, which runs an event-driven control process in a digital twin domain to control process entities operated in the process domain, wherein in the digital twin domain, the behavior of the process entities is modeled by executing a state machine model.

[0007] According to a first aspect, a controller service module comprises an inbound interface adapted to asynchronously receive event data created about process entities in a process domain and / or event data created by executing a state machine model in a digital twin domain.

[0008] According to the first aspect, the controller service module further comprises an inbound buffer adapted to distribute received event data to the process loop buffer such that each distributed event data is represented as an input state according to an instance of a state in a state machine model associated with the event data mapped thereto.

[0009] According to a first aspect, the controller service module further comprises a model-based process controller adapted to read at least one input state from a process loop buffer and control a selected process entity in a processing loop. The model-based process controller operates a state machine execution module adapted to operate at least one associated state machine model to reflect the input of the at least one input state. The model-based process controller further operates a process control module adapted to check whether the operation of the at least one associated state machine model triggers the generation of an external control command indicating an external control operation in the process domain.

[0010] According to the first aspect, the controller service module further comprises an outbound interface adapted to output each generated external control command to at least one process entity which processes the external control command.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the technical problem outlined above is achieved by a controller service system, which implements event-driven process control in a digital twin domain, for controlling process entities operated in the process domain, wherein in the digital twin domain, the behavior of the process entity is modeled by executing a state machine model referenced by the digital twin.

[0012] According to a second aspect, a controller service system comprises at least one controller service module according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein each digital twin representing a process entity is assigned to exactly one controller service module for executing the digital twin.

[0013] According to a second aspect, the controller service system further comprises at least one messaging communication channel per controller service module for loosely coupling the controller service modules by exchanging status messages on the messaging communication channel connecting the controller service modules.

[0014] According to a third aspect of the present invention, the technical problem outlined above is achieved by a control method that runs an event-driven control process in a digital twin domain for controlling a process entity operated in a process domain, wherein in the digital twin domain, the behavior of the process entity is modeled by executing a state machine model. Here, the control method processes a loop operation to continuously execute the first to fifth steps.

[0015] According to the third aspect, a first step performs asynchronous reception of event data created about process entities in the process domain and / or event data created by executing a state machine model in the digital twin domain, and stores the received event data in an inbound buffer.

[0016] According to the third aspect, the second step distributes the received event data from the inbound buffer to the process loop buffer at the beginning of each process loop, wherein each distributed event data is represented as an input state in the process loop buffer according to an instance of a state in a state machine model associated with the event data mapped.

[0017] According to a third aspect, a third step involves executing a model-based control process by reading at least one input state stored for a processing loop from a process loop buffer for controlling a selected process entity, and operating at least one associated state machine model to reflect input of the at least one input state.

[0018] According to the third aspect, the fourth step checks whether the operation of at least one relevant state machine model triggers an external control operation in the process domain.

[0019] According to the third aspect, the fifth step generates an external control command indicating an external control operation in the process domain, and when the operation of at least one related state machine model triggers the external control operation, outputs the generated external control command to at least one process entity that processes the external control command.

[0020] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the technical problem outlined above is achieved by a method of operating a controller service system, which implements event-driven process control in a digital twin domain for controlling process entities operated in the process domain.

[0021] According to a fourth aspect, a first step assigns the operation of a digital twin representing a process entity to exactly one controller service module for executing the digital twin.

[0022] According to the fourth aspect, a fourth step operates at least one controller service module for implementing event-driven process control of a process entity while loosely coupling at least one controller service module by exchanging status messages on at least one messaging communication channel connected to the at least one controller service module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Examples of embodiments of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1 The interoperability between the process domain and the digital twin domain and further between the digital twin domain and the modeling domain is shown as a basis for implementing digital twin control of process entities in the process domain according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 shows a representation of states embedded in a state space as a subspace of the state space;

[0026] Figure 3 shows a classification of a given set of states representing condition information relative to a digital twin according to different perspectives on the behavior of the digital twin;

[0027] Figure 4 The state of the digital twin, the relationship between the perspective of the digital twin and the state machine model, and the related states executed according to the state machine model are shown;

[0028] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a controller service system for implementing an event-driven control process in a digital twin domain for controlling process entities operated in a process domain according to the present invention is shown;

[0029] Figure 6 Shown as Figure 5 The basic principles underlying the operation of the controller service system shown in;

[0030] Figure 7 Shown as Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a controller service module being operated in the controller service system shown in ;

[0031] Figure 8 Shown is the Figure 7 A flowchart of the operation of the controller service module shown in;

[0032] Fig. 9 The following diagram shows an overview of the twin template used for modeling digital twins at the system modeling level, Figure 5 The digital twin architecture (schema) of creating a digital twin instance during operation of the controller service system shown in FIG. Figure 5 A state architecture for creating state instances in real time during operation of a controller service system as shown in;

[0033] Fig.10 An example for decomposing a state machine model into a set of related state transition activities for subsequent real-time execution of the state machine model is shown;

[0034] Fig.11 Shown as Figure 7 A more detailed diagram of the state machine execution module shown in;

[0035] Fig.12 Shown as Fig.11 A flowchart of the operation of the state machine execution module shown in FIG.

[0036] Fig.13 Shown as Fig.11 A more detailed schematic diagram of the digital twin execution module shown in;

[0037] Fig.14Shown as Fig.13 Flowchart of the operation of the digital twin execution module shown in;

[0038] Fig.15 An overview of the direct setting of states in a state machine model underlying the event-driven process control according to the present invention is shown;

[0039] Fig.16 Shown as Fig.11 A more detailed schematic diagram of the event state setting module shown in;

[0040] Fig.17 Shown as Fig.16 A flowchart of the operation of the event status setting module shown in;

[0041] FIG18 illustrates the basic principles underlying the contextualization of state transition activities and the associated updates of state contexts;

[0042] FIG19 illustrates the execution of multiple state transition activities of a state machine model and the associated creation of multiple states of the state machine model over time;

[0043] Fig. 20 The rationale underlying the formation of state scenarios is shown as the basis for the contextualization of state transition activities, the validation of state scenarios with respect to the completeness of state coverage, and the triggering of state transition activities when state scenarios and state operations coexist in the digital twin domain;

[0044] Fig.21 shows the control flow leading to the execution of a triggering state transition activity, and the data flow feeding the conditioning and data transformation processes during the execution of the state transition activity;

[0045] Fig. 22 shows the use of activity groups with respect to state transition activities and the provision of associated state transition activity selectors;

[0046] Fig.23 The formation of embedded contexts from state contexts as internal contexts and the formation of external contexts existing between digital twins, state transition activities and state contexts as a basis for executing a single state transition activity on multiple different digital twins in parallel are shown;

[0047] Fig.24 Shown as Fig.11 A more detailed diagram of the activity execution module shown in;

[0048] Fig.25 Shown as Fig.24 A flowchart of the operation of the activity execution module shown in;

[0049] Fig.26 Shown as Fig.24 A flowchart of the operation of the state stream processor module shown in;

[0050] Fig. 27 Shown as Fig.24 A more detailed schematic diagram of the activity processing module shown in;

[0051] Fig.28 shows a detailed representation of the control flow that triggers the execution of a state transition activity in combination with the data flow operations that feed the conditioning and data transformation processes during the execution of the state transition activity;

[0052] Fig.29 Shows the application Fig.28 The control flow and data flow architecture shown in Fig. 27 A flowchart of the operation of the activity processing module shown in;

[0053] Fig.30 It shows the formation of Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an inbound process interface of a portion of the inbound interface and an inbound processing line operated in the inbound process interface;

[0054] Fig.31 Shown as Fig.30 A flowchart of the operation of the inbound processing line shown in;

[0055] Fig.32 It shows the formation of Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an inbound service interface showing a portion of an inbound interface as shown in FIG. Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an inbound buffer shown in ;

[0056] Fig.33 Shown as Fig.32 A flowchart of the operation of the inbound service interface shown in;

[0057] Fig.34 Shown as Fig.32 A flowchart of the operation of a state distributor operated in an inbound buffer as shown in;

[0058] Fig.35 It shows the formation of Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an outbound process interface of a portion of an outbound interface shown in ;

[0059] Fig.36 It shows the formation of Fig.35 A schematic diagram of an outbound processing line of a portion of an outbound process interface shown in ;

[0060] Fig.37 Shown as Fig.35 A flowchart of the operation of the outbound process interface shown in;

[0061] Fig.38 Shown as Fig.36 A flowchart of the operation of the outbound processing line shown in;

[0062] Fig.39 shows the use of loose coupling in Figure 5 The routing topology of the control service modules cooperating in the control service system shown in ; and

[0063] Fig.40 shows the use of loose coupling in Figure 5 The routing topology of the cooperating control service modules in the control service system shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] The present invention will be explained in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Here, it should be understood that this explanation is only related to the embodiments of the present invention and does not constitute a limitation on the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims.

[0065] Whenever a specific procedural or structural component is mentioned, this should be considered as an example of the underlying functionality, where the procedural or structural components are obviously interchangeable as long as the same functionality is achieved. Therefore, the present invention will be explained using general terms to avoid limiting the scope of protection.

[0066] Figure 1 The interoperability between the modeling domain and the digital twin domain, and further between the digital twin domain and the process domain is shown as a basis for implementing digital twin control of process entities in the process domain according to the present invention.

[0067] like Figure 1 As shown in, according to the present invention, the basis for controlling process entities in the process domain through the operation of digital twins in the digital twin domain is to use a behavioral model of the process entity executed by the digital twin. In general, according to the present invention, the behavioral model is implemented as a state machine model deployed in the digital twin domain as a behavioral representation and counterpart of the process domain.

[0068] like Figure 1 As shown in , according to the present invention, data exchange is performed in a bidirectional manner from the process domain to the digital twin domain, on the one hand for collecting data processed by executing the state machine model, and on the other hand for controlling the process entities in the reverse direction.

[0069] like Figure 1As shown in , process data is forwarded from the process domain to the digital twin domain and then used by the control logic embedded in the twin object for setting control commands and related control data. Once the control data is available, it is forwarded from the digital twin domain to the process domain accordingly. Therefore, the present invention achieves active implementation of control logic and interoperability with the process domain by forwarding control commands to the process domain when observing process targets.

[0070] like Figure 1 As shown in , another aspect of the event-driven process control infrastructure according to the present invention is the description of the behavior of process entities using a behavior model.

[0071] So far, in the modeling domain, process entities are described by their behavior using behavioral models. This description allows to prepare libraries of model templates and then use these templates to model existing process entities by referencing the model library.

[0072] like Figure 1 As shown in , the exchange of data between the digital twin domain and the modeling domain is also performed in a bidirectional manner. Therefore, it is possible to forward actual observation data during the operation of the digital twin domain back to the modeling domain for the implementation of model updates. Model updates are either related to the modification of existing behavioral models or to the deployment of new behavioral models installed into the digital twin domain, for example due to the operation of process entities in the process domain that have not been considered so far.

[0073] In general, according to the present invention, the operation of the digital twin can be highly interactive with respect to both the modeling domain and the process domain. The bidirectional data exchange between the modeling domain and the digital twin domain allows model updates and continuous model deployment.

[0074] Additionally, the collection of process data in the digital twin allows the operation of control logic embedded in the digital twin to subsequently control process entities in the process domain and realize process objects.

[0075] Figures 2 to 4 A general overview of a behavioral model used according to the present invention is shown, which represents the behavior of process entities operated in the process domain by running the behavioral model in the digital twin domain through a digital twin.

[0076] Figure 2 A representation of states embedded into a state space as a subspace of the state space is shown.

[0077] like Figure 2 As shown in , the states of the state machine model represent the conditions of the digital twin in the digital twin domain before the related state transition activities are executed.

[0078] like Figure 2As shown in , the situation can be described in an n-dimensional space, with each dimension representing a characteristic, and then the state can cover any defined subspace of the n-dimensional space.

[0079] According to the present invention, the state may have different types of abstractions for representing the process condition, such as a representation at a meta-level, a representation at a semantic level, an indication of a scope, and / or a specification of a data value.

[0080] These abstractions of different types of state representations reduce the complexity of the control of process entities. For example, to specify the control of a process entity, a specific target value can be set from an infinite number of values. However, abstracting a real number into a series of real values ​​(e.g., low value, medium value, high value) can significantly reduce the complexity of control.

[0081] Figure 3 A classification of a given set of states representing situation information relative to a digital twin according to different perspectives on the behavior of the digital twin is shown.

[0082] like Figure 3 As shown in , the state machine representation of a digital twin can be structured into different perspectives of the digital twin modeled by the state machine representation.

[0083] Here, any view of the digital twin is modeled by an associated state machine model that runs at least a subset of all states used to model the behavior of the digital twin in that view. For each view, an associated state machine model is set up with state transition activities that are defined independently of other views.

[0084] Figure 4 The relationship between the meta-state of the digital twin, the relevant perspectives of the digital twin and the state machine model, and the relevant states executed according to each perspective of the digital twin are shown;

[0085] like Figure 4 As shown in , for each perspective, each state machine model associated is a model of the computation that is in one of multiple states at any time. In other words, it can be said that each state has at least one associated perspective.

[0086] In summary, the present invention uses a behavioral model in the form of at least one state machine model. Here, each state machine model is a model of a calculation, which is in one of a plurality of states at any time. In addition, the state machine model can transition from a source state to a target state by executing a related state transition activity.

[0087] Additionally, introducing perspectives on the state machine model allows independent operation of the state machine model with different perspectives, thus supporting parallelization. Typically, there is exactly one active (or in other words valid) state per perspective at a certain point in time.

[0088] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a controller service system for implementing event-driven control in a digital twin domain for controlling process entities operated in a controlled system according to the present invention is shown.

[0089] like Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , according to the present invention, a controller service system 10 interoperates with sensors 12 that provide input data to the controller service system 10 and actuators 14 that act on a control system 16 to achieve process goals. The controller service system 10 includes controller service modules 18-1, ..., 18-n that communicate within the controller service system via a message communication channel 20.

[0090] As mentioned above Figure 1 As indicated, according to the present invention, the behavior model of the physical entity being operated in the process domain is deployed into the control service module 18-1, ..., 18-n before the operation of the controller service system 10. Then, the digital twin running the behavior model can continuously operate on the input data image provided by the sensor 12 in a processing loop.

[0091] According to the present invention, sensor data is received continuously and asynchronously in real-time and parallel manner.Asynchronous communication is a prerequisite for the reception of sensor data and the parallelization of parallel operations associated with the controller service modules 18-1, ..., 18-n.

[0092] In addition, according to the present invention, the controller service modules 18-1, ..., 18-n are adapted to analyze the input data for identifying deviations between the actual behavior of the process entities and the process goals. This triggers the generation of control commands, which are forwarded to the actuators 14 and the controlled system 16 in real time and asynchronously.

[0093] According to the present invention, such control commands are output to the control system in an asynchronous manner and through multiple communication channels immediately after being generated to achieve parallelization of outbound communications.

[0094] Thus, the present invention allows control logic previously hard-coded into process entities to be transferred to the controller service system 10, which is particularly beneficial for cloud applications. The controller service can be flexibly configured as needed and can be remotely expanded over the course of time.

[0095] Figure 6 Shown as Figure 5 The basic principles underlying the operation of the controller service system shown in FIG.

[0096] like Figure 6As shown in , according to the present invention, it is proposed to operate the data exchange between the real world environment and the controller service system 10 to run a behavior model. Such a behavior model is built from states and related state transitions as a state machine model (e.g., as a finite state machine). Then, the events occurring in the controlled system 16 are observed by the sensor 12 for inbound communication of the related sensor data to the controller service system 10.

[0097] like Figure 6 As shown in FIG. 1 , according to the present invention, it is proposed to perform inbound communication from the sensor 12 to the controller service system 10 by using the input status. This allows efficient operation of the controller service modules 18 - 1 , . . . , 18 - n.

[0098] Similarly, in accordance with the present invention, any outbound communication from the controller service system 10 to the actuator 14 is implemented in the controller service system 10 using the states as defined for the behavioral model.

[0099] In addition, according to the present invention, any internal communication between the controller service modules 18 - 1 , . . . , 18 - n in the controller service system 10 is also implemented using status by exchanging status messages on the status message communication channel 20 .

[0100] like Figure 6 As shown in , a continuous flow of related external and internal states occurs in the form of input states through asynchronous parallel communication of sensor data with the controller service system 10 and through internal communication between the control service modules 18 - 1 , . . . , 18 - n.

[0101] like Figure 6 As shown in FIG. 1 , regarding the processing of the input state according to the present invention, the external state ( Figure 6 There is no distinction between the external state and the internal state. Therefore, the external state and the internal state are considered in an integrated manner.

[0102] like Figure 6 As shown in, in an illustrative example for a state machine model, the state machine model may have four states 1, 2, 3, 4, and have predetermined state transitions. The input states may have any type of sequence. In addition, as will be explained in detail below, an input template may be used to form a control flow for decision making on state transitions. More specifically.

[0103] like Figure 6 As shown in , for a given example, the first two states are entered into the input template, and only when the input template is completed, the state transition from the first state to the second state is performed. Similarly, when additional states are entered to form an input template for the state transition from the second state to the first state, a state transition back to the first state is performed.

[0104] like Figure 6 As shown in FIG, an important aspect of the present invention is that the process control is event driven. Once an external event occurs, the external state (shown in shading) will be set immediately, for example, Figure 6 The fourth input state is shown in FIG.

[0105] This direct setting of external states in the behavioral model allows an improved coupling between the digital twin domain and the process domain. This is particularly true with regard to asynchronous communication, which avoids delays in submitting information to the digital twin domain, and with regard to parallel execution of asynchronous communication.

[0106] like Figure 6 As shown in , the operation of the controller service module is implemented in a process loop, for example, loop A, loop B, ... Since the external event data and the related status are forwarded in a continuous, asynchronous and parallel manner, the event data is stored in the inbound buffer during each single process loop. Then, at the end of each process loop, the data accumulated in the inbound buffer is loaded into the process loop buffer for executing the next process loop. Thus, the input data image is frozen during each execution of the process loop.

[0107] like Figure 6 As shown in , according to the present invention, the generated control commands are output again to the process domain immediately or within a predetermined allowed delay via asynchronous, parallelized communication.

[0108] Figure 7 It shows that Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the controller service module 18 operated in the controller service system 10 shown in FIG.

[0109] Generally speaking, Figure 7 The controller service module 18 shown in FIG. 1 runs an event-driven control process in the digital twin domain for controlling process entities operated in the process domain. As indicated above, according to the present invention, the behavior of the process entity is modeled by the execution of a state machine model.

[0110] like Figure 7 As shown in , the controller service module 18 includes an inbound interface 20 that is adapted to asynchronously receive event data created about process entities in the process domain and / or event data created by the execution of a state machine model in the digital twin domain.

[0111] like Figure 7 As shown in , the controller service module 18 includes an inbound buffer 22 suitable for distributing received event data. According to the present invention, each event data is represented as an input state of one of the behavioral models operated within the controller service system 10, that is, represented as an instance of a state in the state machine model associated with the event data.

[0112] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , the controller service module 18 includes a model-based process controller 24 adapted to read at least one input state from the inbound buffer 22 and store it in a process loop buffer 26 in a processing cycle for controlling a selected process entity.

[0113] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , the controller service module 18 includes a state machine execution module 28 adapted to operate at least one associated state machine model to reflect input of at least one input state.

[0114] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , the controller service module 18 comprises a process control module 30 adapted to check whether the operation of at least one relevant state machine model triggers the generation of an external control command indicative of an external control operation in the process domain.

[0115] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , the controller service module 18 comprises an outbound interface 32 adapted to output each generated external control command to at least one process entity that processes the external control command.

[0116] like Figure 7 As shown in , the controller service module 18 may include a computer service module controller 34 as an option to coordinate configuration and operation within the computing service module. Typically, the controller service module controller 34 will deploy and update service configurations with the controller service module and coordinate the interoperation of its subcomponents.

[0117] Figure 8 Shown is the Figure 7 A flowchart of the operation of the controller service module is shown in FIG.

[0118] like Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S10 executed by the inbound interface 20 , event data is received asynchronously. According to the present invention, the received event data may be created for a process entity in a process domain, and / or the event data may be created by executing a state machine model in a digital twin domain.

[0119] like Figure 8 As shown in , in step S12 executed by the inbound buffer 22, the received event data is distributed to the process loop buffer 26 so that each distributed event data is represented as an input state according to an instance of a state in a state machine model associated with the event data mapped.

[0120] like Figure 8As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S14 executed by the state machine execution module 28, at least one input state is read from the process loop buffer 26 in the processing loop. For the control of the selected process entity, at least one related state machine model is executed to reflect the input of the at least one input state.

[0121] like Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S16 executed by the process control module 28 , it is checked whether the operation of at least one relevant state machine model triggers the generation of an external control command indicating an external control operation in the process domain.

[0122] like Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S18 executed by the outbound interface 32 , each generated external control command is output to at least one process entity that processes the external control command.

[0123] According to the invention, the output of the control command is initiated when it is generated or at least within a specified allowed delay range. This significantly increases the responsiveness of the event-driven control process to sensor data input from the process domain.

[0124] Fig. 9 The twin template for modeling digital twins at the system modeling level and the twin template for modeling digital twins at the system modeling level are shown. Figure 5 The digital twin architecture for creating a digital twin instance during operation of the controller service system shown in FIG. Figure 5 The controller shown in FIG. 1 serves as a state architecture for creating state instances in real time during operation of the system.

[0125] like Fig. 9 As shown in , for each digital twin, a twin template and a twin scheme are used for modeling and generation of the digital twin. The difference between a twin template and a twin scheme is that a twin template reflects the capabilities of the twin object modeled in the modeling domain, while a twin scheme reflects the actual capabilities of the digital twin instantiated during runtime. In other words, the functionality of a twin object can be a subset of the capabilities provided in the modeling domain and represented by the twin template.

[0126] like Fig. 9 As shown in , in the twin template, fields are provided for the twin ID, twin model reference, and twin identification (e.g., referenced by name) that characterizes the twin object.

[0127] like Fig. 9As shown in , at the modeling level, each digital twin is described by custom fields, specifying the state machine model representing the behavior of the process entity, the perspective of the state machine model and the associated initial state, the characteristics and properties specified for the digital twin template, and the context in which the operation of the digital twin is embedded at the modeling level. Moreover, the twin template carries information about the connectivity of the states in the state machine model, which is related to the interaction between the states in the state machine model and the process entities in the process domain, as will be explained in detail below.

[0128] like Fig. 9 As shown in , for the actual creation of the digital twin, a twin schema is used that is referenced during the operation of the service controller module 18. The twin ID can be instantiated as, for example, an integer value, the model reference specifies the applicable state machine model, and the context specifies the interoperability between digital twins and the access of the digital twin to the computing resources operated in the service controller system 10. In addition, custom fields are instantiated according to the type of applicable state machine model, characteristics, properties, contexts, and connectivity.

[0129] like Fig. 9 As shown in , another architecture for the service controller module to operate is related to the generation of state. Fig. 9 As shown in , each state or equivalent state type is represented by an ID, a reference to the state machine model and perspective, a reference to its twin object, and a reference to the model referenced by the twin object.

[0130] like Fig. 9 As shown in , each state can carry a payload and information related to a context reference. It should be noted that preferably a state carries all contexts of its digital twin to improve the efficiency of real-time processing of event-driven control processes.

[0131] like Fig. 9 As shown in , states inherit the connectivity as specified in the associated digital twin solution. It should be noted that, according to the present invention, each state can have multiple communication options for communicating with different process entities.

[0132] In view of the above, according to the present invention, a scheme for a digital twin or for a state in a state machine model is used as an instruction for memory allocation and subsequently filling the allocated memory with data.

[0133] It is important to note that according to the present invention, the digital twin carries the control logic, so the digital twin can perform any control operation on the process entities in the process domain. This active role of the digital twin in the control of the process entities allows for a master-slave scheme between the digital twin being operated in the digital twin domain and its associated process entities in the process domain, and gives the digital twin control capabilities that were previously hard-coded into the process entities.

[0134] Fig.10 An example is shown for decomposing a state machine model into a set of related state transition activities for subsequent real-time execution of the state machine model.

[0135] like Fig.10 As shown in , the state machine model can transition from at least one source state to at least one target state by executing at least one state transition activity. The state transition can be executed by the relevant state transition activity, preferably when a predetermined state transition condition is satisfied.

[0136] like Fig.10 As shown in , state transition conditions can be represented by state templates for modeling state scenarios, which reflect the coexistence of a set of predetermined states in one or more state machine models across digital domains during operation. State scenarios reflect process events that are related to each other. In addition, the definition of state templates is a problem for modeling process domains and can be different with respect to the same state machine model and its related state transition activities for different applications thereof.

[0137] It should be noted that according to the present invention, applying a state context as a trigger for a state transition activity is optional, so an empty state template is also conceivable.

[0138] like Fig.10 As shown in , another component of the state transition activity is the activity reference, for example, Namespace_AB represents the transition from source state A to target state B, Namespace_BA represents the transition from source state B to target state C, and so on. Activity references allow pointing to applicable state transition activities from the digital twin, thereby enabling efficient access to state transition activities without searching during their real-time execution.

[0139] like Fig.10 As shown in , another component of the state transition activity is the activity operator, which embeds the transfer logic behind the state transition from the source state to the target state. The activity operator reflects the creation and initialization of the target state and allows conditions to be considered during the execution of the state transition activity. The activity operation can implement data transformation processes on the operation data so that the transformation results are then represented by the target state.

[0140] Fig.11 Shown as Figure 7 A more detailed schematic diagram of the state machine execution module 28 is shown in FIG.

[0141] like Fig.11As shown in , the state machine execution module 28 includes a digital twin execution module 36, which is suitable for operating at least one digital twin in the digital twin domain and is associated with at least one selected process entity. As outlined above, the digital twin embeds control logic for at least one process entity, ingests operational data of at least one selected process entity, and references at least one state machine model to represent the behavior of at least one selected process entity so as to observe and / or control it.

[0142] like Fig.11 As shown in , the state machine execution module 28 comprises a state machine execution controller 38 adapted to check whether an input state triggers the execution of a state transition activity in the state machine model or whether the input state represents an external state set directly in the state machine model.

[0143] like Fig.11 As shown in FIG. 1 , the state machine execution module 28 includes an event state setting module 40 , which is suitable for directly setting external states in the relevant state machine model.

[0144] like Fig.11 As shown in , the state machine execution module 28 includes an activity execution module 42, which is suitable for executing at least one state transition activity related to a state transition from a source state to a target state in at least one state machine model. The state transition activity uses an input template that models a state scenario as an operational coexistence of predetermined states in one or more state machine models across the digital twin domain as a trigger for executing the state transition activity.

[0145] Fig.12 It shows that Fig.11 The state machine shown in FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the operation of the execution module.

[0146] In general, according to the invention, each input state processed during a process cycle will result in the creation of a state in the digital twin domain. Each created state can then result in the execution of a state transition activity, either directly setting the state if the input state represents an external state to be considered during event-driven process control, or in the updating of an already existing state according to a change in operational data in the process domain.

[0147] like Fig.12 As shown in , in step S20 executed by the state machine execution controller 38, it is checked whether the input state triggers the execution of the state transition activity in the state machine model, or whether the input state represents an external state directly set in the state machine model.

[0148] like Fig.12As shown in FIG. 4 , in step S22 executed by the event state setting module 40 , when step S20 identifies an external event, the input state is directly set as the external state in the relevant state machine model.

[0149] like Fig.12 As shown in, in step S24 executed by the activity execution module 42, when step S20 identifies an internal event, a state transition activity related to the input state is executed. According to the present invention, the state transition activity can be used to execute the control logic embedded in the digital twin or collect the operation data of at least one selected process entity.

[0150] like Fig.12 As shown in , in step S26 executed by the digital twin execution module 42, at least one digital twin in the digital twin domain and related to the performed operation is updated.

[0151] Fig.13 It shows that Fig.11 A more detailed diagram of the digital twin execution modules shown in .

[0152] like Fig.13 As shown in , the digital twin execution module 36 includes a digital twin memory module 44, which is suitable for storing operation data for real-time processing of at least one digital twin.

[0153] According to the present invention, the operational data is related to a representation of at least one digital twin, a representation of at least one state machine model referenced by at least one digital twin and / or a representation of control logic embedded in at least one digital twin.

[0154] like Fig.13 As shown in , the digital twin execution module 36 includes a digital twin processing module 46, which is suitable for updating the operation data. The update can occur in real time when the state is created with respect to at least one state machine model referenced by at least one digital twin. Alternatively, the update can occur when the configuration of at least one state machine model referenced by at least one digital twin changes.

[0155] Fig.14 It shows that Fig.13 Flowchart of the operation of the digital twin execution module shown in .

[0156] like Fig.14 As shown in , in state S28 executed by the twin processing module 46 , before the runtime of the event-driven process control, the initial configuration of the digital twin and related configuration data are deployed in the digital twin memory module.

[0157] It should be noted that the initial deployment is driven by the modeling of the process domain and its process entities performed in the modeling domain. The initial deployment involves the representation of digital twins, the representation of state machine models referenced by at least one digital twin, the representation of control logic embedded in at least one digital twin, and / or the representation of state transition activities.

[0158] like Fig.14 As shown in , in state S30 executed by the digital twin processing module 46 , continuous and repeated updating of the operation data is performed in real time according to the process flow in the process domain.

[0159] like Fig.14 As shown in , in state S32 executed by the digital twin processing module 46, an evaluation is performed on whether the input state is related to the creation of a state relative to at least one state machine model referenced by the digital twin, or is related to a change in the configuration of at least one state machine model referenced by at least one digital twin. If relevant, the digital twin processing module 46 executes step S34 for updating the operating data or the configuration.

[0160] Fig.15 An overview of the direct setting of states in a state machine model underlying the event-driven process control according to the present invention is shown.

[0161] like Fig.15 As shown in , event-driven control according to the invention means the direct setting of external state events.

[0162] like Fig.15 As shown in , it is assumed that the behavior model is in a specific state, for example, state A, while in the real environment it is different, for example, according to state C. Then when an external event mapped to state C is input, this state is set immediately and directly without considering the predetermined state transfer in the behavior model.

[0163] This direct setting of external state events improves the accuracy of behavioral modeling during runtime and increases the flexibility of representing process domains in the digital twin domain.

[0164] Fig.16 It shows that Fig.11 A more detailed schematic diagram of the event status setting module 40 is shown in FIG.

[0165] like Fig.16 As shown in FIG. 4 , the event state setting module 40 includes an event state creator module 48 , which is adapted to create a state according to an event state, which event state will become a valid state in a related state machine model.

[0166] like Fig.16As shown in FIG. 1 , the event state setting module 40 includes a context processing module 50, which is adapted to update context references for effective execution of state transition activities, such as referring to Fig.23 Explained.

[0167] Fig.17 It shows that Fig.16 A flowchart of the operation of the event status setting module is shown in FIG.

[0168] like Fig.17 As shown in FIG. 4 , in step S36 executed by the event state creator module 48 , the current state in the state machine model associated with the event state is invalidated.

[0169] like Fig.17 As shown in , in step S38 performed by the event state creator module 48, a state memory is allocated in the digital twin memory module 44 according to the state scheme applicable to the external state. Then, in step S40, data is filled into the allocated state according to the state architecture, such as Fig. 9 as shown in .

[0170] like Fig.17 As shown in FIG. 4 , in step S42 executed by the event state creator module 48 , the created state is verified as the current state of the related state machine model.

[0171] like Fig.17 As shown in , in step S44 executed by the context processing module 50, the context reference is updated, as will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 18. During the execution of step S44, the entry representing the invalid current state in the relevant input template is cancelled and the entry representing the verified current state in the relevant input template is entered.

[0172] FIG. 18 illustrates the basic principles underlying the contextualization of state transition activities and the associated updates of state contexts.

[0173] Generally speaking, according to the present invention, context references point from the digital twin to applicable state transition activities and related input templates.

[0174] As shown in Figure 18, each input template models the operational coexistence of predetermined states in one or more state machine models across the digital twin domain as a trigger for executing state transition activities. Thus, the input template represents a state context (also referred to as an internal context hereinafter) to form a control flow for executing state transition activities.

[0175] It should be noted that according to the present invention, the updating of context references is performed in a similar manner both for direct setting of external state events and for execution of state transition activities.

[0176] As shown on the left side of Figure 18, when the relevant state transition activity is executed, the source state of the state transition is cancelled from the state context. Here, it is assumed that the state on the left is the source state, indicating that in all state transition activities NS_i, NS_j with input templates ref_i, ..., ref_j (in which the source state was previously inserted), the source state will be cancelled.

[0177] In addition, the digital twin also carries all the contexts necessary to access the relevant state transition activities. Thus, when updating the relevant context references to each relevant twin object, it will be checked whether the list of context references also has a reference to the relevant state transition activities. If so, the relevant state transition activity pair NS_i, ref_i, ..., NS_j, ref_j will be removed from the list of context references.

[0178] As shown on the right side of Figure 18, for the target state, the relevant state transition activities NS_m, ..., NS_n will be checked in relation to the corresponding input template to ensure that the potential entries of the target state are reflected in the relevant input templates ref_m, ..., ref_n. Moreover, for all twin objects, the relevant list of context references will be extended by the newly created context pairs NS_m, ref_m, ..., NS_n, ref_n.

[0179] FIG. 19 illustrates the execution of multiple state transition activities relative to a state machine model and the associated creation of multiple states of the state machine model over time.

[0180] As shown in FIG. 19 , assuming an example of two states A, B and two associated state transition activities NS_A, NS_B, the state machine model will switch between state A and state B over time, assuming no external events occur.

[0181] As shown in the lower part of FIG. 19 , the sequence of entities in state A (ie, A1 , A2 , A3 ) will appear in combination with the sequence of entities in state B (ie, B1 , B2 ).

[0182] Assuming that a transition state is created for each state, manipulation of the behavior model will result in a change log, which can be used for documentation purposes or for updating of the behavior model, as an example.

[0183] Fig. 20 Further details of the formation of state scenarios are shown as the basis for the contextualization of state transition activities, the validation of state scenarios with respect to the completeness of state coverage, and the triggering of state transition activities when state scenarios coexist in the digital twin domain.

[0184] like Fig. 20As shown in , a state machine activity can transition from a source state to a target state, preferably under control conditions that satisfy predetermined state transition conditions.

[0185] like Fig. 20 As shown in , control conditions can be represented by a state template, which is used to represent a state scenario, wherein the state scenario reflects the coexistence of a predetermined set of states in one or more state machine models across a digital domain.

[0186] It should be noted that, according to the present invention, the application of state scenarios as triggers for executing state transition activities is optional, so empty state templates are also conceivable. In addition, the definition of state templates is a matter of modeling the process domain, and the definition of state templates may be different for different applications of the same state machine model.

[0187] like Fig. 20 As shown in , the input template may have an entry slot for at least one predetermined state other than the source state. Once the predetermined state reaches an active state or is equivalently verified, the relevant entry slot in the input template will be marked.

[0188] Additionally, once all entry slots for at least one predetermined state other than the source state are marked, the state transition activity executes the state transition from the source state to the target state. Thus, each state context forms a control flow that triggers the execution of the associated state transition activity.

[0189] In general, the present invention supports contextualized state transition activities, where state transitions for a digital twin and a view on it can depend on the activation of states on the same or different digital twin.

[0190] As explained in more detail below, the concept of input templates and associated state contexts as triggers for the execution of state transition activities supports parallelization in event-driven processes. The reason is that once a state context exists, the associated state transition activities can be executed immediately and in parallel with other state transition activities that are waiting for the state transition trigger.

[0191] Additionally, depending on the specific application scenario, the granularity of the input templates can vary to increase or decrease the level of contextualization of state transition activities in the state-space model.

[0192] Fig.21 The control flow leading to the execution of the triggering state transition activity is shown, as well as the data flow feeding the conditioning and data transformation processes during the execution of the state transition activity.

[0193] like Fig.21As shown in , the state transition activity can also have a data template to form a data flow that executes the underlying layer of at least one state transition activity. If so, the activity execution module 42 is adapted to operate on the data stored in the data template for performing data transformation and considering data-driven conditions during the execution of at least one state transition activity.

[0194] Fig. 22 The use of activity groups with respect to state transition activities and the provision of related state transition activity selectors are shown.

[0195] like Fig. 22 As shown in FIG. 4 , the activity processing module 42 includes an activity selector module, which is adapted to select a state transition activity from a group of state transition activities according to conditional data in the data stream.

[0196] According to the present invention, provision of activity groups facilitates handling of state machine models. Activity groups allow simplified modeling and execution of state transition activities, assuming they operate on the same input constellation with respect to source states, but have different target states according to data flow.

[0197] Fig.23 It shows the formation of embedded contexts as internal contexts from state contexts and the formation of external contexts that exist between digital twins, state transition activities and state contexts.

[0198] As explained above, for the operation of digital twins, it is necessary to effectively identify relevant state transition activities. It is also necessary to effectively access the input templates of state transition activities to accelerate the execution of event-driven process control.

[0199] According to the present invention, to achieve this, a context reference is formed by a pair of an activity reference and an input template reference, where each activity reference points to a state transition activity and each input template reference points to an input template stored in the state context repository of the state transition activity. The context reference is carried by the state and the digital twin. In order to interoperate, the digital twin must carry at least one identical context reference.

[0200] like Fig.23 As shown in , it can be assumed without loss of generality that state transition activities are performed on multiple digital twins. Then, according to the present invention, the relevant input templates are integrated into a situation repository, for example, a matrix of all input templates of state transition activities referenced by a namespace is accumulated.

[0201] like Fig.23 As shown in , although the state context reflects the internal context of the regulation of state-activity transitions, there is also a need to establish connections between digital twins using internal contexts, related state transition activities, and related internal contexts.

[0202] like Fig.23 As shown in , according to the present invention, it is suggested to use an external context referenced by <namespace>. The present invention uses an embedding of the digital twin of an internal context, the related state transition activities, and the template using the internal context into the external context, so that during runtime, a complete context reference is represented by a pair of activity reference and input template reference, for example, as <namespace>, ref_i.

[0203] In summary, according to the present invention, the designation of external contexts is contextualized using <namespace> combined values ​​(ie, ref_1, ..., ref_n) so that the digital twin can access its related state transition activities and its related internal contexts.

[0204] In addition, the concept of contextualization supports the parallelization of the execution of state transition activities that have independent access to different digital twins. Moreover, the use of contextualization avoids the relational search for information, thus significantly speeding up the process of event-driven control.

[0205] Fig.24 It shows that Fig.11 A more detailed schematic diagram of the activity execution module 42 is shown in FIG.

[0206] like Fig.24 As shown in FIG. 4 , the activity execution module 42 includes an activity storage module 52 adapted to store state transition activities.

[0207] like Fig.24 As shown in FIG. 4 , the activity execution module 42 includes a state flow processor 54 adapted to process state transition activities triggered by control flow and / or data flow.

[0208] like Fig.24 As shown in , the activity memory module 52 is suitable for storing activity operators 56 and state context repositories 58 for each state transition activity. Since the state transition activity is executed in parallel for multiple digital twins, the state context repositories 58 are suitable for storing all input templates referenced by the state transition activity. Moreover, multiple state transition activities 60 can form a state transition activity group 60 by assigning the same <namespace> thereto.

[0209] like Fig.24 As shown in FIG. 5 , the state flow processor 54 includes an activity filtering module 62 adapted to filter state transition activities associated with input states and to filter input templates of the filtered state transition activities associated with the input states.

[0210] like Fig.24As shown in FIG. 5 , the state flow processor 54 includes an activity processing module 64 adapted to perform state transition activities with respect to the successfully verified updated input template.

[0211] like Fig.24 As shown in , the state flow processor 54 includes a context processing module 66, which is suitable for updating the filtered input template in at least one state context repository of at least one state transition activity to reflect the input of the input state and perform verification of the updated input template with respect to the completeness of the coverage.

[0212] It should be noted that the context processing module 66 is adapted to prepare the context storage memory 58 prior to the updating of the input template. Here, each relevant context storage memory 58 is checked to find out whether the relevant input template for the requested context reference update is already stored. If yes, the context storage memory 58 remains unchanged. If not, the context processing module 66 will allocate additional memory in the context state memory 58 according to the requested context reference update.

[0213] Fig.25 It shows that Fig.24 Flowchart of the operation of the activity execution module shown in .

[0214] like Fig.25 As shown in , in step S48 executed by the active memory module 52, the state transition activity is operated in the active memory module 52. This means that deployment and updating are performed with respect to the context reference during runtime.

[0215] like Fig.25 As shown in FIG. 5 , in step S50 executed by the state flow controller 54 , the state transition activity is processed according to the control flow and the data flow.

[0216] Fig.26 It shows that Fig.24 Flowchart of the operation of the state stream processor module shown in .

[0217] like Fig.26 As shown in FIG. 5 , in step S52 executed by the activity filtering module 62 , the state transition activities related to the input state are filtered, and then the input templates of the filtered state transition activities related to the input state are filtered.

[0218] Preferably, the state transition activities are filtered by comparing the activity references of the state transition activities with the activity references carried by the input states. In addition, the input templates are filtered by comparing the input template references assigned to the input templates with the input template references carried by the input states.

[0219] like Fig.26As shown in FIG. 5 , in step S54 executed by the activity processing module 64 , a state transition activity is performed with respect to the updated input template that has been successfully verified.

[0220] like Fig.26 As shown in step S56 executed by the context processing module 66, the filtered input template in the state context storage 58 is updated to reflect the input of the input state. This is achieved by canceling the entry representing the invalid state in the relevant input template and by entering the entry representing the verified state in the relevant input template.

[0221] Fig. 27 It shows that Fig.24 A more detailed schematic diagram of the activity processing module 64 is shown in FIG.

[0222] like Fig. 27 As shown in FIG. 6 , the activity processing module 64 includes an activity selector module 68 adapted to select a state transition activity from a group of state transition activities according to conditional data in the data stream.

[0223] like Fig. 27 As shown in FIG. 6 , the activity processing module 64 includes a control flow evaluation module 70 adapted to evaluate whether a control flow represented by an input template triggers the execution of a state transition.

[0224] like Fig. 27 As shown in FIG. 6 , the activity processing module 64 includes a data flow evaluation module 72 adapted to evaluate whether at least one condition represented by a data flow triggers the execution of a state transition.

[0225] like Fig. 27 As shown in FIG. 6 , the activity processing module 64 comprises a data processing unit 74 adapted to perform a data transformation of data in a data stream into state data for assignment to a target state.

[0226] like Fig. 27 As shown in , the activity processing module 64 includes a state creator module 76 adapted to create a target state according to a state scheme representing data elements related to the target state and according to data processed by the data processing module.

[0227] Preferably, the state creator module 76 is adapted to allocate state memory in the digital twin memory module according to the state scheme, create at least one context reference to assign to the target state, and store data related to the target state in the allocated state memory.

[0228] Fig.28A detailed representation of the control flow that triggers the execution of the state transition activities combined with the data flow operations used to regulate the state transition process and supply data for the execution of the data transformation process is shown.

[0229] like Fig.28 As shown in , any input of a state transition activity includes at least a control flow and optionally a data flow. Here, the control flow is specified as a state context. The state context is represented by an input template or input vector, which is specified by a state reference modeled in a state machine model before executing the state transition activity.

[0230] As mentioned above about Fig. 20 As outlined, during runtime of a state transition activity, the relevant entries in the input template will be updated upon creation of a state having a matching reference to the state indicated in the input template.

[0231] like Fig.28 As shown in , the data flow is also represented by an input template, which is divided into two types of data, namely, data representing conditions for execution of state transition activities and data supplied to the data transformation process.

[0232] like Fig.28 As shown in , any state transition activity has an activity operator, which is referenced as above. Fig. 9 The explained state scheme realizes the generation of the target state.

[0233] like Fig.28 As shown in , an activity operator can implement data transformation logic within the framework of a state transition activity. Here, for example, data transformation can be related to the modification of process data to comply with the specification of a target state.

[0234] As indicated above, according to the present invention, the active operator can also implement control logic and related functionality, which gives the digital twin active control capabilities that have an impact on process entities in the process domain. According to the present invention, the digital twin is not only a functional unit that collects data from the process domain, but also actively executes control logic for process entities in the process domain.

[0235] Fig.29 Shows the application Fig.28 The control flow and data flow architecture shown in Fig. 27 Flowchart of the operation of the activity processing module shown in .

[0236] like Fig.29 As shown in FIG. 5 , in step S56 executed by the activity selector module 68, a state transition activity is selected from a set of state transition activities according to the conditional data in the data stream. It should be noted that this step S56 is optional and depends on the configuration of the state transition activity.

[0237] like Fig.29 As shown in FIG. 5 , in step S58 executed by the control flow evaluation module 70 , it is evaluated whether the control flow represented by the input template triggers the execution of the state transition.

[0238] like Fig.29 As shown in FIG. 5 , in step S60 executed by the data flow evaluation module 72 , it is evaluated whether at least one condition represented by the data flow triggers the execution of a state transition.

[0239] like Fig.29 As shown in FIG. 5 , in step S62 executed by the data processing unit 74 , data conversion of the data in the data stream into state data for assignment to the target state is performed.

[0240] According to the present invention, the data processing in step S62 may implement control logic for generating control commands for controlling at least one process entity in the process domain. Preferably, the control commands may be generated using persistent data available from the digital twin of the operational data processing module and using event data describing the dynamics of the process domain.

[0241] like Fig.29 As shown in , in step S64 performed by the state creator module 76, a state is created according to a state scheme representing data elements related to the target state and according to data processed by the data processing module. This is achieved by allocating state memory in the digital twin memory module according to the application state scheme, by creating a context reference for assignment to the target state, and by storing data related to the target state in the allocated state memory.

[0242] It should be noted that an alternative to creating a new state may be to update existing data with data made available by the input state when making the material available does not result in a change of the valid state in the associated state machine model, i.e. if the valid state is maintained and only the operational data associated with it changes.

[0243] Fig.30 It shows the formation of Figure 7 Schematic diagram of an inbound process interface of a portion of the inbound interface 20 and an inbound processing line operated in the inbound process interface.

[0244] like Fig.30 As shown in , the inbound interface 20 includes an inbound process interface, which includes at least one communication endpoint 78-1, ..., 78-n, and the at least one communication endpoint 78-1, ..., 78-n is suitable for terminating a communication channel established between the process entity and the inbound interface according to a predetermined communication protocol.

[0245] like Fig.30 As shown in , the inbound interface 20 includes at least one inbound processing line 80-1, ..., 80-n, and the at least one inbound processing line 80-1, ..., 80-n is suitable for analyzing the payload data received at the communication endpoint and transforming the relevant payload data into at least one input state to be output to the inbound buffer.

[0246] It should be noted that according to the present invention, one inbound process interface is operated per pair of process entities and associated input states for parallel asynchronous communication of event data from the process domain to the digital twin domain.

[0247] like Fig.30 As shown in FIG. 8 , the inbound processing line 80 includes a payload identification module 82 adapted to identify payload data carried by communication data received at a communication endpoint.

[0248] like Fig.30 As shown in , the inbound processing line 80 includes a payload separation module 84 adapted to separate the payload data into at least one payload item to be forwarded to the digital twin domain.

[0249] like Fig.30 As shown in FIG, the inbound processing line 80 includes a sender / receiver identification module 86 adapted to identify a pair of a process entity and a digital twin object as a sender and a receiver of each payload item.

[0250] like Fig.30 As shown in , the inbound processing line 80 includes a signal forming module 88, which is adapted to form a signal for each payload item, the signal representing information related to the processing in the digital twin domain.

[0251] like Fig.30 As shown in FIG. 1 , the inbound processing line 80 includes a signal state mapping module 90 adapted to map a signal to an input state carrying information represented by the signal and to perform data transformations on payload items. The input state may be forwarded to the service controller system 10 via an inbound communication port adapted to forward the input state to a corresponding inbound buffer.

[0252] Fig.31 It shows that Fig.30 A flow chart of the operation of the inbound processing line is shown in FIG.

[0253] like Fig.31 As shown in FIG. 8 , in step S66 executed by the payload identification module 82 , payload data carried by the communication data received at the communication endpoint is identified.

[0254] like Fig.31 As shown in , in step S68 performed by the payload separation module 84, the payload data is separated into at least one payload item to be forwarded to the digital twin domain.

[0255] like Fig.31 As shown in , in step S70 performed by the sender / receiver identification module 86, a pair of process entity and digital twin object is identified as the sender and receiver of each payload item.

[0256] like Fig.31 As shown in , in step S72 performed by the signal formation module 88, a signal is formed for each payload item, which represents information related to the processing in the digital twin domain.

[0257] like Fig.31 As shown in , in step S74 performed by the signal state mapping module 90, the signal is mapped to an input state carrying the information represented by the signal. Step 74 is optionally used to perform data transformation on the payload item. In step S76, the input state is forwarded to the inbound buffer 22 via the relevant inbound communication port.

[0258] Fig.32 It shows the formation of Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an inbound service interface 92 of a portion of the inbound interface 20 shown in FIG. Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the inbound buffer shown in .

[0259] Generally speaking, the inbound service interface 92 is adapted to read at least one messaging communication channel for receiving status messages generated by a model-based process controller of a controller service module or by a model-based process controller of at least one additional controller service module operating in the digital twin domain.

[0260] like Fig.32 As shown in FIG. 1 , the inbound service interface 92 includes a status message reader 94 adapted to read status messages exchanged on at least one messaging communication channel.

[0261] like Fig.32 As shown in FIG. 1 , the inbound service interface 92 includes a status filter 96 adapted to filter status messages to be processed by the controller service module.

[0262] like Fig.32 As shown in FIG. 1 , the inbound buffer 22 includes a process loop line 98 adapted to store input states in an order according to the type of state. According to the present invention, the process loop line 98 may be a linear memory line or a series of queues arranged adjacently.

[0263] like Fig.32 As shown in , the inbound buffer 22 comprises a state distributor 100 adapted to check whether the type of the next input state is exactly the same as the type of the state stored in the process loop line at the entry position and to update the process loop line accordingly.

[0264] Fig.33 Shown as Fig.32 A flowchart of the operation of the inbound service interface is shown in FIG.

[0265] like Fig.33 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S78 executed by the status message reader 94, reading of status messages exchanged on at least one messaging communication channel is performed.

[0266] Preferably, the status message reader 94 reads at least one messaging communication channel for receiving status messages generated by the model-based process controller 18 in the service controller system 10 .

[0267] Preferably, status message reader 94 reads a plurality of messaging communication channels arranged for exchanging status messages carrying status having a dedicated status type.

[0268] like Fig.33 As shown in FIG. 8 , in state S80 executed by the state filter 96 , filtering of the state message to be processed by the controller service module is performed.

[0269] Fig.34 Shown as Fig.32 Flowchart of the operation of a state distributor operated in an inbound buffer as shown in .

[0270] like Fig.34 As shown in , in step S82 executed by the state distributor 100 , a check is performed to see if the type of the next input state is exactly the same as the type of the state stored in the process loop line at the entry position, and the process loop line 98 is updated accordingly.

[0271] like Fig.34 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S84 executed by the state distributor 100 , a check is performed to see whether the entry mode of the next input state is an overwrite mode or a state queue mode.

[0272] like Fig.34 As shown in, in step S86 executed by the state distributor 100, when the entry mode is the overwrite mode, when the type of the next input state is exactly the same as the type of the input state pre-stored at the entry position, step S86 is executed to overwrite the process loop line 98 with the next input state entry position.

[0273] like Fig.34 As shown in, in step S88 executed by the state distributor 100, when the entry mode is the queue mode, step S88 is executed to store the next input state in the relevant state queue of the process loop line. When the state queue of the type of the next input state has been activated, the next input state is distributed to the corresponding state queue. Otherwise, when the type of the next input state is different from the types of all pre-stored input states, the next input state is stored in the newly activated state queue.

[0274] Fig.35 It shows the formation of Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the outbound process interface 102 which is a portion of the outbound interface 32 is shown in FIG.

[0275] like Fig.35 As shown in the figure, the outbound process interface 102 includes at least one outbound processing line 104-1, ..., 104-n, and the at least one outbound processing line 104-1, ..., 104-n is suitable for receiving an output status representing a control command and transforming the relevant control information into at least one payload data for output to a process entity in the process domain.

[0276] According to the present invention, one outbound process interface may be operated per pair of output states and associated at least one controlled process entity for parallel asynchronous communication of control commands from the digital twin domain to the process domain.

[0277] like Fig.35 As shown in , the outbound process interface 102 includes at least one outbound communication endpoint 106 - 1 , . . . , 106 - n adapted to output communication signals carrying information related to operations in the control process domain.

[0278] like Fig.35 As shown in FIG. 1 , the outbound interface 32 includes an outbound service interface 108 adapted to write to at least one messaging communication channel for forwarding status messages generated in the model-based process controller.

[0279] Fig.36 It shows the formation of Fig.35 Schematic diagram of an outbound processing line 104 that is a portion of an outbound process interface is shown in FIG.

[0280] like Fig.36 As shown in , the outbound processing line 104 includes a state signal mapping module 106, which is adapted to map the output state to a signal carrying information represented by the output state and perform related data transformation. The state signal mapping module 106 may also be adapted to perform data transformation.

[0281] like Fig.36 As shown in FIG. 1 , the outbound processing line 104 includes a payload identification module 108 adapted to identify payload data carried by a signal carrying information representative of an output state.

[0282] like Fig.36 As shown in FIG. 1 , the outbound processing line 104 includes a payload assembly module 110 adapted to assemble payload data into at least one payload item.

[0283] like Fig.36 As shown in , the outbound processing line 104 includes a communication signal forming module 112, which is suitable for forming a communication signal representing at least one payload item and an associated recipient for output to a communication endpoint.

[0284] Fig.37 It shows that Fig.35 Flowchart of the operation of the outbound process interface shown in .

[0285] like Fig.37 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S90 executed by the outbound processing line 104, an output status representing a control command is received, the control command is transformed into relevant control information, and transformed into at least one payload data for output to a process entity in the process domain. During the transformation, data transformation is also applicable.

[0286] like Fig.37 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S92 performed by the outbound communication port 106 , a communication signal carrying information related to the operation in the control process domain is output.

[0287] Fig.38 It shows that Fig.36 A flow chart of the operation of the outbound processing line is shown in FIG.

[0288] like Fig.38 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S94 performed by the state signal mapping module 106 , mapping of the output state to a signal carrying information represented by the output state is performed. During the mapping, appropriate data transformations may also be applied.

[0289] like Fig.38 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S96 performed by the payload identification module 108 , payload data carried by the signal carrying information represented by the output state is identified.

[0290] like Fig.38 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S98 executed by the payload assembly module 110 , assembling the payload data into at least one payload item is performed.

[0291] like Fig.38 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S100 performed by the communication signal forming module 112 , a communication signal representing at least one payload item and an associated recipient is formed for output to a communication endpoint.

[0292] Fig.39 Shown is the Figure 5 The loosely coupled routing topology of cooperating control service modules in the control service system shown in FIG.

[0293] like Fig.39 As shown in FIG. 1 , a controller service system 10 for implementing event-driven process control according to the present invention includes a plurality of controller service modules 18 - 1 , . . . , 18 - n according to the present invention.

[0294] According to the present invention, each digital twin representing a process entity is assigned to exactly one controller service module 18 for executing the digital twin. This ensures data integrity and complies with the concept of a single point of truth.

[0295] like Fig.39 As shown in the figure, the controller service system 10 includes at least one messaging communication channel 20-1, ..., 20-n for each controller service module, for loosely coupling at least one controller service module by exchanging status messages on at least one messaging communication channel 20-1, ..., 20-n connecting at least one controller service module 18-1, ..., 18-n.

[0296] It should be noted that for the case of a single controller service module, status messages are used to feed the output of the single controller service module back to its associated inbound interface.

[0297] It should be noted that according to the present invention, the status message can carry event data created in the process domain and received by the controller service module, for distributing the event data to multiple controller service modules 18-1, ..., 18-n in the digital twin domain.

[0298] Fig.40 It shows that Fig.39 Modifications to the controller service system shown in .

[0299] like Fig.40 As shown in , each controller service module 18-1, ..., 18-n provides at least one message passing communication channel for exchanging status messages carrying status information. Here, the message passing communication channel is set to exchange status messages related to the status with dedicated characteristics, which reduces the processing load on the input side of the controller service module 18-1, ..., 18-n.

[0300] like Fig.40 As shown in , as an example, a first messaging communication channel can be set up to receive messages related to internal states generated by a model-based process controller of a specific controller service module 18 to feed back states created in the service controller module 18 to the same service controller 18. A second messaging communication channel can be set up to receive messages related to external states generated outside the controller service module 18. A third messaging communication subchannel is used to receive messages related to states that carry information related to digital twin updates.

[0301] According to the invention, the number of communication channels provided can be freely selected and depends only on the routing topology selected for the architecture of the controller service system.

[0302] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings and illustrations of preferred embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that it is apparent that the present invention may also be implemented using variations and modifications thereof, which are obvious to those skilled in the art and may be easily made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. For example, the above functionality may be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of both.

[0303] Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the appended claims not be limited to the description as set forth herein, but rather the claims should be construed to cover all novel features that may be present in the present invention, including all features regarded as equivalents thereof by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

Claims

1. A controller service module, the controller service module runs an event-driven control process in a digital twin domain to control a process entity operated in a process domain, wherein in the digital twin domain, the behavior of the process entity is modeled by executing a state machine model, the controller service module comprising: an inbound interface adapted to asynchronously receive event data created regarding process entities in the process domain and / or event data created by executing a state machine model in the digital twin domain; an inbound buffer adapted to distribute received event data to the process loop buffer such that each distributed event data is represented as an input state according to an instance of a state in a state machine model associated with the event data; A model-based process controller adapted to read at least one input state from a process loop buffer in a processing loop and control a selected process entity by operating the following modules; a state machine execution module adapted to operate at least one associated state machine model to reflect input of at least one input state; a process control module adapted to check whether operation of the at least one associated state machine model triggers generation of an external control command indicative of an external control operation in the process domain; An outbound interface is adapted to output each generated external control command to at least one process entity that processes the external control command.

2. A controller service module according to claim 1, wherein the state machine execution module includes a digital twin execution module, which is suitable for operating at least one digital twin in the digital twin domain and related to at least one selected process entity, wherein the at least one digital twin embeds control logic for the at least one process entity, ingests operational data of the at least one selected process entity and references at least one state machine model to represent the behavior of the at least one selected process entity so as to observe and / or control it.

3. A controller service module according to claim 2, wherein the digital twin execution module includes a digital twin memory module, which is suitable for storing operation data for real-time processing of the at least one digital twin, wherein the operation data is related to the representation of the at least one digital twin, the representation of at least one state machine model referenced by the at least one digital twin, and / or the representation of the control logic embedded in the at least one digital twin.

4. A controller service module according to claim 2, wherein the digital twin execution module includes a digital twin processing module, which is suitable for updating operation data in real time when a state is created with respect to the at least one state machine model referenced by the at least one digital twin or when the configuration of the at least one state machine model referenced by the at least one digital twin changes.

5. A controller service module according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the state machine execution module includes a state machine execution controller, which is suitable for checking whether the input state triggers the execution of the state transition activity in the state machine model or whether the input state represents an external state set directly in the state machine model.

6. The controller service module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the state machine execution module comprises an event state setting module, which is suitable for directly setting the external state in the relevant state machine model.

7. The controller service module according to claim 6, wherein the event state setting module comprises an event state creator module, the event state creator module being adapted to create a state by: allocating state memory in the digital twin memory module according to a state scheme applicable to the external state; Fill the allocated state memory with the operation data carried by the input state corresponding to the external state; Invalidate the current state in the related state machine model; as well as Validates the created state as the current state of the associated state machine model.

8. A controller service module according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the event state setting module includes a scenario processing module, which is suitable for updating scenario references, wherein the scenario references point from the digital twin to applicable state transition activities and related input templates, and wherein each input template models the operational coexistence of predetermined states in one or more state machine models across the digital twin domain as a trigger for executing the state transition activity.

9. The controller service module according to claim 8, wherein the context processing module is adapted to cancel the entry representing the invalid current status in the relevant input template and to enter an entry representing the verified current status in the relevant input template.

10. A controller service module according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the state machine execution module includes an activity execution module, which is suitable for executing at least one state transition activity related to a state transition from a source state to a target state in at least one state machine model, wherein the state transition activity uses an input template as a trigger for executing the state transition activity, and the input template models the state scenario as the operational coexistence of predetermined states in one or more state machine models across the digital twin domain.

11. The controller service module of claim 10, wherein each state context forms a control flow that triggers execution of an associated state transition activity.

12. A controller service module according to claim 10, wherein the at least one state transition activity has a data template to form a data flow underlying the execution of the at least one state transition activity, and wherein the activity execution module is suitable for operating on the data stored in the data template for data transformation and for considering data-driven conditions during the execution of the at least one state transition activity.

13. The controller service module according to claim 10, wherein the activity execution module comprises an activity memory module adapted to store state transition activities and a state flow processor adapted to process state transition activities triggered by control flow and / or data flow.

14. A controller service module according to claim 13, wherein the activity memory module is suitable for storing activity operators and a state context repository for each state transition activity, wherein the state context repository is suitable for storing all input templates referenced by the state transfer activity due to the parallel execution of state transition activities for multiple digital twins.

15. The controller service module of claim 13, wherein the state stream processor comprises an activity filtering module adapted to filter state transition activities associated with an input state and to filter input templates of the filtered state transition activities associated with the input state; a context processing module adapted to update a filtered input template in at least one state context repository of at least one state transition activity to reflect the input of the input state and to indicate a validation of the updated input template with respect to integrity of the coverage; as well as An activity processing module is adapted to perform a state transition activity with respect to the successfully verified updated input template.

16. The controller service module according to claim 15, wherein the state context stored in the state context repository is accessed through a context reference formed by an activity reference and an input template reference pair, such that Each activity reference points to a state transition activity. Each input template reference points to an input template stored in a state context store of a state transition activity referenced by the activity reference paired with the input template reference; The input state carries at least one context reference; The activity filtering module is adapted to filter the state transition activities by comparing the activity references of the state transition activities with the activity references carried by the input states; The active filtering module is adapted to filter the input templates by comparing the input template references assigned to the input templates with the input template references carried by the input state and verify the updated input templates with respect to completeness of the coverage.

17. A controller service module according to claim 13, wherein the state flow processor includes a scenario processing module, which is suitable for updating the input template stored in the state scenario repository by canceling the entry representing the invalid state in the relevant input template and by entering the entry representing the verified state in the relevant input template.

18. The controller service module of claim 15, wherein the activity processing module comprises an activity selector module adapted to select a state transition activity from a group of state transition activities according to conditional data in the data stream.

19. The controller service module of claim 15, wherein the activity processing module comprises a control flow evaluation module adapted to evaluate whether a control flow represented by an input template triggers execution of a state transition.

20. The controller service module of claim 15, wherein the activity processing module comprises a data flow evaluation module adapted to evaluate whether at least one condition represented by the data flow triggers the execution of a state transition.

21. A controller service module according to claim 15, wherein the activity processing module includes a data processing module, which is suitable for executing the activity operator of the state transition activity when the state transition activity is triggered, wherein the execution of the activity operator optionally transforms the source state into the target state under the operating conditions specified in the relevant data flow.

22. The controller service module of claim 21, wherein the data processing module is adapted to perform a data transformation of data in the data stream into state data for assignment to a target state.

23. The controller service module of claim 15, wherein the activity processing module comprises a state creator module adapted to create a target state according to a state scheme representing data elements associated with the target state and according to data processed by the data processing module.

24. A controller service module according to claim 23, wherein the state creator module is suitable for allocating state memory in the digital twin memory module according to the state scheme, creating at least one context reference assigned to the target state, and storing data related to the target state in the allocated state memory.

25. The controller service module of claim 21, wherein the data processing module is adapted to execute control logic for generating control commands according to the control logic for controlling process entities in the process domain.

26. The controller service module of claim 25, wherein the control commands are generated using persistent data available from the digital twin of the operational data processing module and using event data describing the dynamics of the process domain.

27. The controller service module according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the inbound interface comprises an inbound process interface, the inbound process interface comprising at least one communication endpoint adapted to terminate a communication channel established between the process entity and the inbound interface according to a predetermined communication protocol; and At least one inbound processing line is adapted to analyze payload data received at the communication endpoint and transform the associated payload data into at least one input state for output to the inbound buffer.

28. The controller service module of claim 27, wherein the at least one inbound processing line comprises a payload identification module adapted to identify payload data carried by communication data received at a communication endpoint; a payload separation module adapted to separate the payload data into at least one payload item to be forwarded to the digital twin domain; a sender / receiver identification module adapted to identify a pair of a process entity and a digital twin object as a sender and a receiver of each payload item; a signal forming module adapted to form a signal for each payload item, the signal representing information related to the processing in the digital twin domain; a signal state mapping module adapted to map a signal onto an input state carrying information represented by the signal and to perform a data transformation with respect to a payload item; as well as An inbound communication port is adapted to forward an input status to an inbound buffer.

29. The controller service module of claim 27, wherein one inbound process interface is operated for each pair of process entities and associated input states for parallel asynchronous communication of event data from the process domain to the digital twin domain.

30. A controller service module according to one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the inbound interface includes an inbound service interface, which is suitable for reading at least one messaging communication channel for receiving status messages generated by a model-based process controller of the controller service module or by a model-based process controller of at least one other controller service module operated in the digital twin domain.

31. The controller service module of claim 30, wherein the inbound service interface is adapted to read at least one messaging communication channel arranged for exchanging status messages carrying status having a dedicated status type.

32. The controller service module of claim 30, wherein the inbound service interface comprises a status message reader adapted to read status messages exchanged on the at least one messaging communication channel and a status filter adapted to filter status messages to be processed by the controller service module.

33. A controller service module according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein the inbound buffer comprises a process loop line adapted to store input states and a state distributor adapted to check whether the type of the next input state is exactly the same as the state type stored in the process loop line at the entry position and to update the process loop line accordingly.

34. The controller service module of claim 33, wherein: The state distributor is adapted to overwrite the process loop line at an entry position with the next input state when the type of the next input state is exactly the same as the type of the input state pre-stored at the entry position.

35. The controller service module of claim 33, wherein the process loop operates on a series of state queues, and wherein the state distributor is adapted to store the next input state in the next state queue when the type of the next input state is different from the types of all pre-stored input states.

36. The controller service module according to any one of claims 1 to 35, wherein the outbound interface comprises an outbound process interface, the outbound process interface comprising at least one outbound processing line adapted to receive an output status representing a control command and transform the associated control information into at least one payload data for output to a process entity in the process domain; and At least one outbound communication port adapted to output communication signals carrying information related to controlling operations in the process domain.

37. The controller service module of claim 36, wherein each outbound processing line comprises: a state signal mapping module adapted to map an output state to a signal carrying information represented by the output state and to perform related data transformations; a payload identification module adapted to identify payload data carried by a signal carrying information represented by the output state; a payload assembly module adapted to assemble the payload data into at least one payload item; as well as A communication signal forming module is adapted to form a communication signal representative of at least one payload item and an associated recipient for output to a communication endpoint.

38. The controller service module of claim 36, wherein one outbound process interface is operated for each pair of output states and associated controlled process entities for parallel asynchronous communication of control commands from the digital twin domain to the process domain.

39. The controller service module of any one of claims 1 to 38, wherein the outbound interface comprises an outbound service interface adapted to write to at least one messaging communication channel for forwarding status messages generated in the model-based process controller.

40. The controller service module of claim 39, wherein at least one messaging communication channel is provided for each controller service module for exchanging status messages carrying status information of a dedicated status type.

41. A controller service system, the controller service system implementing event-driven process control in a digital twin domain, for controlling process entities operated in the process domain, wherein in the digital twin domain, the behavior of the process entity is modeled by executing a state machine model referenced by the digital twin, the controller service system comprising: at least one controller service module according to one of claims 1 to 40, wherein each digital twin representing a process entity is assigned to exactly one controller service module for executing the digital twin; At least one messaging communication channel per controller service module for loosely coupling the at least one controller service module by exchanging status messages over the at least one messaging communication channel.

42. A computer service system according to claim 41, wherein a message passing communication channel is assigned to each computer service module of the at least two control service modules, so that each controller service module is suitable for outputting status messages to its assigned message passing communication channel and is suitable for reading communication messages from message communication channels other than its assigned message communication channel.

43. The controller service system of claim 41, wherein at least one messaging communication channel is provided for each controller service module for exchanging status messages carrying status information having a dedicated status type.

44. The controller service system of claim 41, wherein the status message carries event data created in the process domain and received by the controller service module.

45. A control method for running an event-driven control process in a digital twin domain, the event-driven control process is used to control a process entity operated in a process domain, wherein in the digital twin domain, the behavior of the process entity is modeled by executing a state machine model, and the control method operates in a processing loop to continuously execute The step of asynchronously receiving event data created about process entities in the process domain and / or event data created by executing a state machine model in the digital twin domain and storing the received event data in an inbound buffer; The step of distributing received event data from the inbound buffer to a process loop buffer at the beginning of each process loop, wherein each distributed event data is represented as an input state in the process loop buffer according to an instance of a state in a state machine model associated with the event data; the step of executing a model-based control process to control a selected process entity by reading at least one input state stored for a processing loop from a process loop buffer and operating at least one associated state machine model to reflect input of the at least one input state; checking whether the operation of the at least one related state machine model triggers the step of an external control operation in the process domain; as well as The step of generating an external control command indicating an external control operation in the process domain when the operation of the at least one related state machine model triggers the external control operation and outputting the generated external control command to at least one process entity that processes the external control command.

46. ​​The control method according to claim 45 comprises the step of processing at least one digital twin in the digital twin domain and associated with at least one selected process entity, wherein the at least one digital twin embeds control logic for the at least one process entity, ingests operational data of the at least one selected process entity and references at least one state machine model to represent the behavior of the at least one selected process entity so as to observe and / or control it.

47. The control method according to claim 46 comprises a step of storing operational data for real-time processing of the at least one digital twin, wherein the operational data is related to a representation of the at least one digital twin, a representation of at least one state machine model referenced by the at least one digital twin, and / or a representation of control logic embedded in the at least one digital twin.

48. The control method according to claim 46 includes a step of updating operation data in real time when a state is created with respect to at least one state machine model referenced by the at least one digital twin or when the configuration of the at least one state machine model referenced by the at least one digital twin changes.

49. A control method according to claim 45, wherein the step of executing a model-based control process includes the step of checking whether an input state triggers the execution of a state transition activity in a state machine model or whether the input state represents an external state set directly in the state machine model.

50. A control method according to any one of claims 45 to 49, wherein the step of executing a model-based control process comprises the step of directly setting external states in an associated state machine model.

51. The control method according to claim 50, wherein the step of directly setting the external state in the associated state machine model comprises the step of allocating state memory in the digital twin memory module according to a state scheme applicable to the external state; The step of filling the allocated state memory with the operation data carried by the input state corresponding to the external state; Steps to invalidate the current state in the associated state machine model; as well as Steps to validate the created state as the current state of the related state machine model.

52. The control method according to claim 50 includes a step of updating a context reference, wherein the context reference points from the digital twin to an applicable state transition activity and a related input template, and wherein each input template models the operational coexistence of predetermined states in one or more state machine models across the digital twin domain as a trigger for executing the state transition activity.

53. The control method according to claim 52, wherein the step of updating the context reference cancels the entry representing the invalid current state in the relevant input template and enters the entry representing the verified current state in the relevant input template.

54. A control method according to any one of claims 45 to 53, wherein the step of operating the state machine model includes the step of executing at least one state transition activity related to a state transition from a source state to a target state in the state machine model, wherein the state transition activity uses an input template as a trigger for executing the state transition activity, and the input template models the state scenario as the operational coexistence of predetermined states in one or more state machine models across the digital twin domain.

55. The control method of claim 54, wherein each state context forms a control flow that triggers the execution of an associated state transition activity.

56. A control method according to claim 54, wherein the state transition activity has a data template, which forms the underlying data flow for executing the state transition activity, and wherein the step of executing the state transition activity operates on the data stored in the data template for transformation of the data and for considering data-driven conditions during the execution of the state transition activity.

57. The control method according to claim 54, wherein the step of processing state transition activities is performed after all entries of its input template are verified.

58. The control method according to claim 54 includes storing an activity operator and a state context repository for each state transition activity, wherein the state context repository is suitable for storing all input templates referenced by the state transfer activity due to the parallel execution of state transition activities for multiple digital twins.

59. The control method according to claim 57, wherein the step of processing the state transition activity comprises The steps of filtering state transition activities associated with the input state and filtering input templates of the filtered state transition activities associated with the input state; the step of updating the filtered input template in at least one state context repository of at least one state transition activity to reflect the input of the input state and indicating verification of the updated input template with respect to completeness of the coverage; as well as The steps to execute the state transition activities on the updated input template upon successful validation.

60. The control method according to claim 59, wherein the state context stored in the state context repository is accessed by a context reference formed by an activity reference and an input template reference pair, such that Each activity reference points to a state transition activity. Each input template reference points to an input template stored in a state context store of a state transition activity referenced by the activity reference paired with the input template reference; The input state carries at least one context reference; where The step of filtering the state transition activities compares the activity references of the state transition activities with the activity references carried by the input states; The step of filtering the input template compares the input template reference assigned to the input template with the input template reference carried by the input state.

61. A control method according to claim 57, wherein the step of processing the state transition activity includes the step of updating the input template stored in the state context repository by canceling the entry representing the invalid state in the input template and by entering the entry representing the verified state in the input template.

62. The control method according to claim 54, wherein the step of executing the state transition activity includes the step of selecting a state transition activity from a group of state transition activities based on conditional data in the data stream.

63. The control method of claim 54, wherein the step of executing a state transition activity includes the step of evaluating whether a control flow represented by an input template triggers execution of a state transition.

64. The control method of claim 54, wherein the step of executing a state transition activity includes the step of evaluating whether at least one condition represented by the data flow triggers the execution of the state transition.

65. A control method according to claim 54, wherein the step of executing a state transition activity includes the step of executing an activity operator of the state transition activity when the state transition activity is triggered, wherein the execution of the activity operator optionally transforms a source state into a target state under operating conditions specified in a related data flow.

66. The control method of claim 65, wherein the step of executing an active operator performs a data transformation to generate state data for assignment to a target state.

67. A control method according to claim 54, wherein the step of executing a state transition activity includes the step of creating a target state based on a state scheme representing data elements associated with the target state and based on data processed by associated activity operators.

68. A control method according to claim 67, wherein the step of creating a target state allocates a state memory in the digital twin memory module according to a state scheme, creates at least one context reference assigned to the target state, and stores data related to the target state in the allocated state memory.

69. The control method of claim 69, wherein the step of executing the activity operator executes control logic for generating control commands according to the control logic for controlling process entities in the process domain.

70. The control method of claim 69, wherein the control commands are generated using persistent data available from a digital twin of an operational data processing module and using event data describing the dynamics of the process domain.

71. The control method according to any one of claims 45 to 70, wherein the step of asynchronously receiving event data about process entities created in the process domain comprises: the step of operating at least one communication endpoint adapted to terminate a communication channel established from a process entity according to a predetermined communication protocol; and The step of operating at least one inbound processing line for analyzing payload data received at the communication endpoint and for transforming the associated payload data into at least one input state for output to the inbound buffer.

72. The control method of claim 71, wherein the step of operating at least one inbound processing line comprises: The step of identifying payload data carried by communication data received at a communication endpoint; a step of separating the payload data into at least one payload item to be forwarded to the digital twin domain; The step of identifying a pair of process entities and digital twin objects as the sender and receiver of each payload item; a step of forming a signal for each payload item, the signal representing information related to processing in the digital twin domain; The step of mapping a signal onto an input state carrying information represented by the signal; The step of performing a data transformation on the payload item; as well as Step that forwards the input state to the inbound buffer.

73. A control method according to claim 71, wherein the step of operating the inbound process interface is performed for each pair of process entities and related input states for parallel asynchronous communication of event data from the process domain to the digital twin domain.

74. A control method according to any one of claims 45 to 73, wherein the step of asynchronously receiving event data created by executing a state machine model in the digital twin domain includes the step of reading at least one messaging communication channel for receiving status messages.

75. A control method according to claim 74, wherein at least one messaging communication channel is provided for exchanging status messages, the at least one messaging communication channel being set up for exchanging status messages carrying status having a dedicated status type.

76. A control method according to claim 74, wherein the step of reading at least one messaging communication channel for receiving status messages includes the step of reading status messages exchanged on the at least one messaging communication channel and the step of filtering status messages to be processed by the control method.

77. A control method according to any one of claims 45 to 76, comprising a step of storing an input state in a process loop line of an inbound buffer, wherein the step of distributing checks whether the type of the next input state is exactly the same as the type of the state stored in the process loop line at the entry position, and the step of storing the input state updates the process loop line accordingly.

78. The control method according to claim 77, wherein: The step of storing the input state overwrites the process loop line at the entry position with the next input state when the type of the next input state is exactly the same as the type of the input state pre-stored at the entry position.

79. The control method of claim 77, wherein the process loop line operates a series of state queues, and wherein the step of storing an input state stores the next input state in the next state queue when the type of the next input state is different from the types of all pre-stored input states.

80. The control method according to any one of claims 45 to 79, wherein the outbound process interface is operated by the following steps the step of operating at least one outbound processing line to receive an output status representing a control command and transforming the associated control information into at least one payload data for output to a process entity in the process domain; and The step of operating an outbound communication port adapted to output communication signals carrying information related to controlling operations in the process domain.

81. The control method of claim 80, wherein the step of operating at least one outbound processing line for each outbound processing line comprises The steps of mapping the output state to a signal carrying information represented by the output state and performing related data transformation; the step of identifying payload data carried by a signal carrying information representative of the output state; the step of assembling the payload data into at least one payload item; as well as The steps of forming a communication signal representing at least one payload item and forwarding the communication signal to a communication endpoint.

82. A control method according to claim 80, wherein an outbound process is operated for each pair of output states and related controlled process entities for parallel asynchronous communication of control commands from the digital twin domain to the process domain.

83. A control method according to any one of claims 45 to 82, comprising the step of operating an outbound service interface to write status messages to at least one messaging communication channel.

84. The control method of claim 83, wherein the step of operating the outbound service interface operates at least one messaging communication channel for each controller service module for exchanging status messages carrying status information having a dedicated status type.

85. A method for operating a controller service system, the controller service system implementing event-driven process control in a digital twin domain for controlling process entities operated in the process domain, wherein the controller service system comprises at least one controller service module according to one of claims 1 to 44, and wherein in the digital twin domain, the behavior of the process entity is modeled by executing a state machine model referenced by the digital twin, the method comprising Assigning operations of a digital twin representing a process entity to exactly one controller service module to execute steps of the digital twin; The step of operating the at least one controller service module to implement event-driven process control of process entities while loosely coupling the at least one controller service module by exchanging status messages over at least one messaging communication channel.

86. A method for operating a computer service system according to claim 85, wherein a message passing communication channel is assigned to each computer service module of the at least two control service modules, wherein each controller service module performs the steps of outputting a status message to its assigned message passing communication channel and reading a status message from a message communication channel other than its assigned message communication channel.

87. A method of operating a computer service system according to claim 85, wherein at least two messaging communication channels are provided for each controller service module for exchanging status messages carrying status information having a dedicated status type.

88. A method of operating a computer service system as described in claim 85, wherein the status message carries event data created in the process domain and received by the controller service module.

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