System and method for monitoring or controlling assets of an industrial automation environment

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for monitoring or controlling assets in an industrial automation environment, wherein the assets are communicatively coupled with at least one digital twin, which receives value attributes regarding values of the assets and transmits desired setpoints to the assets. Polling-based communication or bidirectional communication between the assets and the at least one digital twin is at least partially routed via an asset twin, which is a service located in the industrial automation environment, which receives values from the assets and forwards these values to the at least one digital twin, and which receives setpoints or desired values from the at least one digital twin, checks access rights of these setpoints or desired values and / or consistency with other values, setpoints and / or attributes of the assets, and applies these desired values or setpoints to the assets. Thereby, even in a firewall setup of the digital twin, controlled access from the digital twin to the assets is possible. Assets, e.g. PLCs, can even be influenced by external digital twins during runtime.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for monitoring or controlling assets in an industrial automation environment, and a system for monitoring or controlling assets in an industrial automation environment. Background Technology

[0002] A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object or process (referred to as an "asset" in the following disclosure). "Digital twins can also be used for monitoring, diagnostics, and prediction to optimize asset performance and utilization" (from Wikipedia - https: / / en.wikipedia.org / wiki / Digital_twin). Typically, a digital twin is limited to representing certain aspects, attributes, or functions of an asset (so-called aspects). A typical example is a CAD drawing of equipment or the actual state of a machine. In this disclosure, we do not focus on any particular aspect.

[0003] Recently, the functionality of digital twins has been expanded, enabling people to interact with them in a command-like manner. However, digital twins are primarily viewed as representations of real-world objects, and in this respect, read operations, and more generally all operations, are performed on the twin side of the asset.

[0004] In our focus on digital twins, a digital twin is less a digital twin and more a digital shadow. This invention emphasizes the fact that assets and their associated digital twins are two things that can interact with each other.

[0005] The problem is that there is usually no bidirectional communication, but only asymmetric transfer of values ​​and command / setpoints, which means: On the asset side, it's impossible to access what's happening on the twin side. For example, if there are post-processing or settings for values, these cannot be directly accessed from the asset side.

[0006] There is no possibility of issuing commands from a digital twin to the asset side.

[0007] These issues often arise because, for security reasons, direct access from the area where the asset is located (e.g., workshop area, industrial automation environment) to a twin site (e.g., cloud, internet) (and especially the reverse) is often prohibited or restricted: Assets (e.g., PLCs - Programmable Logic Controllers) are logically or physically located in the shop floor or otherwise in a restricted site, making direct connections to (e.g., HTML-based access) impossible. This typically occurs when firewalls are configured to block direct internet access from the shop floor via the production network (industrial automation network) or vice versa.

[0008] The Internet is physically inaccessible, for example due to network failure or because a dial-up connection is being used (possibly due to bandwidth or cost reasons, or in situations where there is no connection at all, such as on a ship).

[0009] Currently, the problem is being addressed by using a web (HTTP) connection, for example, a REST-API, to a twin provider (REST: representation of state transfer).

[0010] As described above, security settings typically restrict what can and should be visible from the asset side to the digital twin side (or vice versa). The connection between the asset and the digital twin is often tailored to the requirements of IoT data flow. Therefore, firewalls inspect or control data traffic between the source and destination. Access from a browser is often blocked.

[0011] Publication US 2023 / 0017142 A1 (Dunn et al., “Digital Engineering Secure Remote Access”) proposes the use of so-called industrial information hubs to exchange data among multiple participants via virtual private network connections.

[0012] Document EP 3 971 666 A1 (Miller et al., “Connectivity to an Industrial Information Hub”) discloses a user interface for simultaneous access to multiple assets coupled via multiple gateways and for a unified presentation of the assets.

[0013] The disclosure in US 2022 / 0051171 A1 ("Digital Twin for Control Tower and Enterprise Management Platform Managing Entity Replicas and E-Commerce Systems") relates to the use of digital twins in logistics, where one digital twin represents the environment of a system to be optimized with the aid of artificial intelligence. Summary of the Invention

[0014] The objective of this invention is to improve and better control data access between assets and their digital twins, and to provide a communication framework for new services that require full write access from digital twins to assets.

[0015] Our solution for this task establishes bidirectional communication between the asset and the digital twin. This bidirectional communication can be conducted indirectly via an established IoT connection or initiated specifically from the asset or twin side. This connection is not part of this disclosure. Essentially, we create a twin of a twin, a so-called asset twin. This enables interaction in the following ways: We allow setting “asset values” on the asset twin – which makes it possible to set expected values ​​not only on the “digital twin” side (e.g., parameters, setpoints, function calls, etc.) but also on the “asset twin” side.

[0016] Instead of simply sending reported attributes from the asset to the digital twin, we also report "twin attributes" from the "twin" side to the asset side.

[0017] We allow setting "twin attributes" on both sides.

[0018] All interactions on the “asset twin” side can be performed via human users (e.g., using a web-based UI), or from the asset itself, or from other assets or users (machine users or “computer-based entities”) on the asset side (typically the workshop).

[0019] In particular, the problem is solved by the method and system according to the invention.

[0020] The solution includes a method for monitoring or controlling assets in an industrial automation environment, wherein the asset is communicatively coupled to at least one digital twin that receives value attributes about the asset and transmits desired setpoints to the asset. In this method, bidirectional communication between the asset and the at least one digital twin is routed at least partially via the asset twin, which is a service located in the industrial automation environment. The asset twin receives values ​​from the asset and forwards these values ​​to the at least one digital twin, and the asset twin receives setpoints or desired values ​​from the at least one digital twin, checks the access permissions and / or consistency of these setpoints or desired values ​​with other values, setpoints, and / or attributes of the asset, and applies these desired values ​​or setpoints to the asset. Thus, controlled access from the digital twin to the asset is possible even within a firewall setup of the digital twin. The asset (e.g., a PLC) can even be affected by an external digital twin during operation.

[0021] The problem is also addressed by a system for monitoring or controlling assets in an industrial automation environment, wherein the asset is communicatively coupled to at least one digital twin, and the digital twin is configured to receive value attributes regarding the asset and transmit desired setpoints to the asset. The system includes a bidirectional communication channel between the asset and at least one digital twin, routed at least partially via the asset twin, which is a service located in the industrial automation environment. The asset twin is configured to receive values ​​from the asset and to forward these values ​​to the at least one digital twin. The asset twin is also configured to receive setpoints or desired values ​​from the at least one digital twin, to check the access permissions of these setpoints or desired values ​​and their consistency with other values, setpoints, and / or attributes and / or functions of the asset, and to apply these desired values ​​or setpoints to the asset. Data communication can also be based on a polling-based communication protocol, particularly initiated by the asset twin. The advantages associated with the method of the present invention can be achieved through this system.

[0022] The features of the implementation of the method also apply to the system of the present invention, and vice versa. Multiple advantageous implementations can be combined in a meaningful manner.

[0023] In one implementation, multiple digital twins can be connected to an asset via a shared asset twin. These multiple digital twins may at least partially have different purposes or aspects. Therefore, a system can connect different digital twins to a single asset, thereby covering better functional bandwidth without adapting the asset to multiple digital twin connections.

[0024] In another implementation, the method and system include establishing at least one digital twin in an external environment (e.g., but not limited to the cloud, the internet, a corporate on-premises data center, or a web server), with the industrial automation environment protected by a firewall relative to the external environment. Thus, the industrial environment can be protected in a manner where the external digital twin has access to it.

[0025] In one implementation, in cases where both the asset twin and at least one digital twin access the same value, setpoint, parameter, or function of an asset concurrently, conflictingly, or simultaneously, access via the asset twin is given priority.

[0026] According to the present invention, the method and system are adapted to employ or establish a policy engine for asset twins or in asset twins for rule-based access conflict resolution.

[0027] According to the present invention, the method and system include: authorization of at least one digital twin or other user or entity by asset twin verification to authorize access to the value, setpoint, parameters or functions of the asset (“user-based authorization”).

[0028] Asset twins control access via access privilege protocols. These protocols can be defined by user roles or based on the identity of a user or computer, which is associated with specific access permissions.

[0029] To enable fast and comprehensive data access, asset twins can directly access assets via industrial communication protocols and industrial data bus systems such as OPC / UA, Profinet, or Industrial Ethernet. Attached Figure Description

[0030] An example of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, Figure 1 This illustrates an abstract view of asset access based on existing technology. Figure 2 An abstract view of the system of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 An example table of conflict resolution rules is shown during the synchronization of concurrent access to the asset twin by both the digital twin and the local entity. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Figure 1This explains the current issues with accessing assets (e.g., PLCs in a shop floor). A single digital twin (shown on the right) can access the asset independently. Both internal (shop floor-based) and external users (“users” can be people or machines, e.g., HMI panels) are restricted to access via the digital twin, and their access is limited through authorization and authentication, including firewalls. As described above, security typically restricts what can and should be visible from the asset side. The connection between the asset and the digital twin is often provided due to IoT data flow requirements. Therefore, firewalls inspect data traffic between the source and destination. Access from a browser is typically blocked.

[0032] Figure 2 An abstract view of the system of the present invention is shown, in which the asset (e.g., PLC or other industrial automation equipment) in a shop floor or similar local industrial automation environment is on the left, and a public environment (e.g., cloud, internet) with one or more digital twins of the asset is on the right. Although only one digital twin is shown on the right, multiple digital twins can actually be coupled to a single asset. Advantageously, each digital twin is customized for a limited number of functions (such as HMI, control parameter calculation, simulation, alarms, predictive maintenance, or other functions). The automation environment (shop floor) and the public area (cloud, internet) are separated by a firewall.

[0033] Both asset twins and digital twins can be accessed by the same or different human users (administrators, general users) or machine users (e.g., other assets, computers, or HMI entities). IoT (“Internet of Things”) values ​​are attributes of sensors that are part of an asset or other “read-only” data connected to the asset or an asset, or controlled processes or automated environments. Setpoints or values ​​are process parameters stored in an asset that affect controlled processes or automated entities. These parameters can be changed through internal software functions or external access, especially through asset twins. Asset values ​​held in an asset twin have a shadow in the digital twin (expected asset values, reported asset values) and can be rewritten from the digital twin in the form of value targets (e.g., a temperature value can be set to an expected temperature, and that target temperature can be reported to the asset twin, and the asset twin can create new setpoints for the asset to achieve the target temperature). Twin attributes are internal parameters of each twin (asset twin, digital twin) and are part of the twin's internal operations; these can be accessed and changed externally.

[0034] Various parameters, such as twin attributes or asset values ​​(or expected asset values), can be accessed / changed from different sites (e.g., local or remote users on the asset twin and digital twin). Therefore, concurrent access must be handled by the asset twin (or by an external service employed by the asset twin), especially for near-simultaneous conflicting write operations on the asset and digital twin (e.g., due to communication latency).

[0035] Figure 3 The table shown is an example of a conflict resolution rule. The first column indicates the affected parameter or function type (“Attribute”). The second and third columns describe the source of access (digital twin or asset twin). The last column describes the conflict resolution rule. Parameters or other “topics” can be tagged with meta-information to aid in decision-making during access control and access conflict resolution. For example, in the third row, the parameter type “Asset Value” has the meta-information “Twin Orchestrated”. This means that the asset twin is responsible for changes to parameters of this type. Note that definitions and meta-information can be applied not only to parameter types, functions, or other entities (defined as “Attributes” in the table) but also to definitions specific to a particular parameter. The table (or additional tables) can also contain information about which user (identity) or which type of user (role) can access the attribute, and the table can also define the type of access permission; access control is not specified in the table. Figure 3 As shown in the diagram. In this respect, access control can involve human user and / or machine / computer access.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring or controlling assets in an industrial automation environment, in, The asset is communicatively coupled to at least one digital twin. The digital twin receives value attributes about the asset from the asset and transmits the desired setpoint to the asset. The values ​​and the setpoints are process parameters of the asset or automation environment, and affect the controlled process or automated entity. Wherein, bidirectional communication between the asset and the at least one digital twin is routed at least partially via the asset twin. The asset twin is a service located within the industrial automation environment. The asset twin receives values ​​from the asset and forwards these values ​​to the at least one digital twin. The asset twin receives setpoints or expected values ​​from the at least one digital twin, checks the access permissions of these setpoints or expected values ​​and / or their consistency with other values, setpoints, and / or attributes of the asset, and applies these expected values ​​or setpoints to the asset. Its features are, Multiple digital twins are connected to the asset through a shared asset twin. Establish a policy engine for the asset twin, or within the asset twin, for rule-based access conflict resolution. The asset twin checks the authorization granted to the at least one digital twin or other user or entity to permit access to the asset's values, setpoints, parameters, or functions.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple digital twins are configured at least partially such that each digital twin has a different purpose or aspect.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, In the external environment, establish at least one digital twin. The industrial automation environment is protected by a firewall relative to the external environment.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, In the event of concurrent, conflicting, or simultaneous access to the same value, setpoint, parameter, or function of the asset by the asset twin and the at least one digital twin, access via the asset twin shall be given priority.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Establish at least one digital twin in the cloud, the internet, a company’s local data center, or a network server.

6. A system for monitoring or controlling assets in an industrial automation environment, in, The asset is communicatively coupled to at least one digital twin. The digital twin is configured to receive value attributes about the asset from the asset and transmit a desired setpoint to the asset. The values ​​and the setpoints are process parameters of the asset or the automation environment, and affect the controlled process or automation entity. The system includes a bidirectional communication channel between the asset and the at least one digital twin, the communication channel being routed at least partially via the asset twin. The asset twin is a service located within the industrial automation environment. The asset twin is configured to receive values ​​from the asset and to forward these values ​​to the at least one digital twin. The asset twin is configured to receive setpoints or expected values ​​from the at least one digital twin, to check the access permissions of these setpoints or expected values ​​and their consistency with other values, setpoints, and / or attributes and / or functions of the asset, and is configured to apply these expected values ​​or setpoints to the asset. Its features are, Multiple digital twins are connected to the asset via a shared asset twin. A policy engine is established for the asset twin or within the asset twin for rule-based access conflict resolution. The asset twin is configured to authorize the at least one digital twin or other user or entity to grant access to the asset's values, setpoints, parameters, or functions.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The at least one digital twin and the asset twin each have an interface accessible by a user and / or by a computer-based entity, the interface having write access to at least one value, setpoint, parameter, or function of the asset, and the asset twin is configured to check and coordinate concurrent write access to at least one value, setpoint, parameter, or function of the asset.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The asset twin is configured to check and coordinate concurrent write accesses for quasi-simultaneous conflicting write operations on the asset and the digital twin.

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