METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A FIELD DEVICE

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of configuring a field device according to claim 1, a computer program according to claim 12, a non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 13, a computer according to claim 14 and a computer according to claim 15.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A. Graube et al. "Information Models in OPC UA and their Advantages and Disadvantages", 2017 22nd IEEE International Conference of Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA), IEEE, 12 September 2017, pages 1-8, describes that OPC UA is one of the most prominent candidates for a middlaware in future CPS scenarios, and provides many concepts which makes it very useful to address challenges in the area of flexibllily, security anti availability, and offers a semantio rich information space with extensible OPC UA information models, and that they make it possible to develop smart client application with a high degree of flexlhillty. The paper summarizes experiences made with the use of OPC UA information models.

[0003] Industrial plants are fitted with numerous field devices, with communication protocols such as Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) protocol, Fieldbus Foundation, Profibus or ProfiNet and can be configured based on Electronic Device Descriptions (EDDs) or Field Device Integration (FDI) packages.

[0004] Field devices can have provided Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) servers with parameters usable to configure the field devices, e.g. on Edge devices and indeed some field devices can have embedded OPC UA servers.

[0005] However, if the OPC UA server is off-line or the field device with the embedded OPC UA server is off-line, then it is not possible to configure the field device.

[0006] There is a need to address this issue.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved technique to configure field devices.

[0008] The object of the present invention is solved with the subject matter of the independent claims, wherein further embodiments are incorporated in the dependent claims.

[0009] In a first aspect, there is provided a method of configuring a specific field device, the method comprising the steps of: identifiying an original Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture "OPC UA" server provided for a field device of the same type as the specific field device; creating a data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server; storing the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in a storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server; and generating a configuration for the specific field device comprising utilizing the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server.

[0010] Thus, a configuration can be generated for a field device when its provided OPC UA server is off-line, because in effect a twin of the OPC Server is generated from which the required parameters are stored enabling the field device configuration to be generated. Thus, field devices can be configured using OPC UA in offline mode.

[0011] In an example, the specific field device comprises the original OPC UA server.

[0012] In other words, the field device has an embedded OPC UA server.

[0013] To put this another way, the OPC UA server can form part of the field device, and the field device and its provided OPC UA server can be off-line, but a configuration for the field device can still be generated and then sent to the field device when the field device is connected or in other words is back online. Thus, field devices can be configured even if they are not physically installed, that means not visible in the topology. In this case the configuration can be done offline based on the type and the set of parameters (template) of the field device.

[0014] In other words, parameters of the field device can be fetched from one instance and these can be used as default parameters for all devices of the same type.

[0015] In an example, the method comprises sending the configuration to the specific field device or another field device of the same type when the specific field device is online.

[0016] In this manner the OPC UA server can be off-line and be separate to the field device, or the field device with its embedded OPC UA server can be off-line with the OPC UA server then also being off-line, but a configuration can still be generated for the field device and sent to the field device as soon as it is back online or connected.

[0017] In an example, the method comprises the step of: fetching the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from the original OPC UA server.

[0018] In other words, the parameters are fetched are extracted from the OPC UA server provided for the field device, whether it is separate to the field device always an embedded feature of the field device, and these parameters are stored in effect as a digital twin enabling the field device configuration to be generated in all situations.

[0019] In an example, the method comprises the step of: fetching the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from a device of the same type as the specific field device.

[0020] In an example, the method comprises the step of: fetching the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from a reference data store.

[0021] To put this another way, the actual OPC UA server provided for the field device does not need to be interrogated in order to fetch the parameters, but reference stores of information with these parameters can be accessed in order to provide a digital twin of the OPC UA server that in effect never sleeps. This enables a configuration for the field device to be generated even when the OPC UA server is off-line, whether it is separate to or part of the field device.

[0022] In an example, the steps of creating the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server and of storing the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server comprise creating a digital twin of the original OPC UA server.

[0023] In an example, the method comprises the step of: creating the data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server with the original OPC UA server.

[0024] According to an example, the values can be managed in templates.

[0025] Thus, dependent upon certain situations, the data between the digital twin and the original OPC UA server will be synced.

[0026] In an example, the method comprises the step of configuring one or more further field devices that are instances of the field utilizing the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server.

[0027] In a second aspect, there is provided one or more computer programs, comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed on one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform the method according to the first aspect.

[0028] In an third aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computer storage medium, and / or a download product, with the one or more computer programs according to the second aspect.

[0029] In a fourth aspect, there is provided one or more computers with the one or more computer programs according to the second aspect.

[0030] In a fifth aspect, there is provided one or more computers with the non-transitory computer storage medium and / or the download product according to the third aspect.

[0031] The above aspects and examples will become apparent from and be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Exemplary embodiments will be described in the following with reference to the following drawing: Fig. 1 shows a method of configuring a field deviceDETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0033] Fig. 1 relates to a method 100 of configuring a field device. Essential steps are shown in bold lines and optional step are shown in dashe steps

[0034] The method 100 of configuring a field device, shown in Fig. 1, comprises the steps of: identifiying 110 an original Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture "OPC UA" server provided for a field device of the same type; creating 120 a data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server; storing 130 the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in a storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server; and generating 140 a configuration for the field device comprising utilizing the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server.

[0035] Thus, for example for the creation of the values of parameters, data for a field device can be used for all devices of the same type.

[0036] In this manner, by using a field device of the same type, in the situation where the original OPCUA server was not yet connected to the system, the data can be fetched from such a device of the same type)

[0037] According to an example, the field device comprises the original OPC UA server.

[0038] According to an example, the method comprises the step of sending the configuration to the field device or another field device of the same type when the field device is online.

[0039] According to an example, the method comprises the step of: fetching 150 the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from the original OPC UA server.

[0040] According to an an example, the method comprises the step of: fetching the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from a device of the same type.

[0041] According to an example, the method comprises the step of: fetching the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from a reference data store.

[0042] According to an example, the steps of creating 120 the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server and of storing 130 the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server comprise creating 160 a digital twin of the original OPC UA server.

[0043] According to an example, the method comprises the step of: creating data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server with the original OPC UA server.

[0044] According to an example, the values of parameters are managed in templates.

[0045] According to an example, the method comprises the step of configuring one or more further field devices that are instances of the field utilizing the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server.

[0046] From the above, it is clear that one or more computer programs, comprising machine-readable instructions that, can be provided which when executed on one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform the method 100.

[0047] Also, from the above it is clear that a non-transitory computer storage medium, and / or a download product, can comprises the one or more computer programs.

[0048] One or more computers can then operate with the one or more computer programs.

[0049] One or more computers can then comprise the non-transitory computer storage medium and / or the download product.

[0050] Thus, today's intelligent field devices with communication protocols like HART, Fieldbus Foundation, Profibus or ProfiNet can be configured based on EDDs or FDI Device Packages, and it is possible to do the configuration with a connected device (online) or without a connected device (offline), just based on the description of the EDD. Later the configuration can be sent to the device.

[0051] Also, recently field devices with an embedded OPC UA server for the configuration of the device are seen, where tools exist (e.g. UA Expert) to connect with the OPC UA server and to browse and modify parameters of the field device. However, now the configuration can be generated when the field device and its embedded OPC UA server are offline, and again the configuration sent to the field device when it is back online.

[0052] Furthermore, all field devices can be handled in the same way using the new configuration method.

[0053] Thus, information about the structure and content of the OPC UA server is used in order to configure the field device even if it is not available (offline). For each type of field device the information needed for the offline configuration is fetched once from an available (online) OPC UA server of the field device and then used for all other instances of this field device type.

[0054] Thus, in a specific embodiment, based on the fetched information from the original OPC UA server, a digital twin of the OPC UA server is created. During the creation of the digital twin a set of values for the parameters of the OPC UA server are created from the data of the original OPC UA server. At this point in time all activities will be done with the digital twin, in other words independent of the availability of the original OPC UA server. On certain situations the data between the digital twin and the original OPC UA server will be synced.

[0055] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawing and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method (100) of configuring a specific field device, the method comprising the steps of: - identifiying (110) an original Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture "OPC UA" server provided for a field device of the same type as the specific field device; - creating (120) a data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server; - storing (130) the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in a storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server; and - generating (140) a configuration for the specific field device comprising utilizing the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the specific field device comprises the original OPC UA server.

3. Method according to any of claims 1-2, wherein the method comprises sending the configuration to the specific field device when the specific field device is online.

4. Method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the method comprises sending the configuration to another field device of the same type as the specific field device when the specific field device is online5. Method according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the method comprises the step of: - fetching (150) the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from the original OPC UA server.

6. Method according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the method comprises the step of: - fetching the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from a device of the same type as the specific field device.

7. Method according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the method comprises the step of: - fetching the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server from a reference data store.

8. Method according to any of claims 1-7, wherein the steps of creating (120) the data set of values of parameters of the original OPC UA server and of storing (130) the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server comprise creating (160) a digital twin of the original OPC UA server.

9. Method according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the method comprises the step of: - creating (170) the data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the values are managed in templates.

11. Method according to any of claims 1-10, comprising the step of configuring one or more further field devices that are instances of the field utilizing the created data set of the values of parameters of the original OPC UA server in the storage medium separate to the original OPC UA server.

12. A computer program, comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 11.

13. A non-transitory computer storage medium, and / or a download product, with the one or more computer programs according to claim 12.

14. One or more computers with the one or more computer programs according to claim 12.

15. One or more computers with the non-transitory computer storage medium and / or the download product according to claim 13.