Configuration method for integrating and / or adapting a field device in or to a technical system

Abstract

The invention relates to a configuration method for integrating and / or adapting a field device in or to a technical system, which is characterized in that, using a first application (1), a basic configuration (2) of the field device is performed and, using a second application (3), which is not the first application, an advanced system-specific configuration, which is based on the basic configuration, is mandatorily performed.

Description

[0001] Configuration procedure for the integration and / or adaptation of a field device into or to a technical system

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a configuration method for integrating and / or adapting a field device into or to a technical system, a data processing device configured to carry out the method, a computer program product with instructions for carrying out the method, and a computer-readable medium with the computer program product stored thereon.

[0004] As is well known, field devices, also within the scope of the invention, are technical devices that are located within a technical system, particularly in the field of automation technology, in the "field," i.e., outside of control cabinets or control rooms. Field devices can thus be actuators, such as actuators, valves, etc., as well as sensors, such as measuring devices or transducers.

[0005] Particularly against the background of the growing variety of field devices in technical systems, the challenge of correctly integrating this variety into a respective technical system and / or adapting it to such a system is also growing. In the field of automation technology, and therefore in particular for the automation of production, a process or an entire factory, the manufacturers of a field device often provide an application that the customer, i.e. the user of the field device, can use to complete tasks, in particular configuration tasks. Nevertheless, the challenge of being able to master this variety of field devices and in particular the associated variety of complex electronics that require explanation is continually increasing.

[0006] As is well known, such an application as mentioned above is application software and therefore a computer program or

[0007] A computer program product that is used to process or support a useful or desired functionality, i.e., in this case, to configure a field device, in particular by using the application to make certain individual settings to the software and / or hardware components, which are then stored, for example, in a configuration file of the field device. Such an application can also be more or less a stand-alone application, i.e., a single program without the need for an internet connection, but can also be, for example, a web application, such as a progressive web application (PWA).

[0008] For example, EP 3 754 441 B1 is based on the need to configure, maintain and / or diagnose a large number of different and highly developed data processing devices in automation technology using a mobile device, wherein the user is provided with software tools in the form of device-specific mobile applications that can be loaded onto a mobile device from a so-called app store in order to then establish a communication connection with the data processing device for carrying out the corresponding configuration, maintenance and / or diagnosis. The aim is to simplify the provision of an up-to-date device-specific mobile application for configuring, maintaining and diagnosing a data processing device. The solution proposed there is that the mobile application is hosted in the data processing device and can be loaded by the user directly from the data processing device.The connection to an app store, registrations and an active internet connection are therefore no longer necessary, because as soon as a user can establish a communication connection with the data processing device hosting the application, he or she is able to load the mobile application hosted in the data processing device, which is expediently provided in the form of a progressive web application (PWA) known per se to those skilled in the art.

[0009] DE 10 2019 118 561 A1, for example, assumes that the user often only requires a portion of the theoretically possible functions of a measuring transducer or sensors for their specific application and therefore only needs to make the configuration settings that are relevant to them. In order to simplify the configuration of a field device at a measuring point, the solution proposed is to first start an application on a data terminal and select the digital assistant that is specific to the measuring point and linked to a configuration package that, in turn, contains one or more configuration settings for the field device. Only those configuration settings that are specific to the digital assistant are displayed, and finally to transfer these configuration settings from the data terminal to the field device.Here, too, the application can be provided in the form of a progressive web application.

[0010] DE 10 2019 132 173 A1 assumes that if the user wishes to connect field devices to other information processing systems, such as database servers, cloud services, etc., this can be done either by means of "edge devices" or alternatively with an OPC / UA gateway, whereby in both embodiments the problem exists that the intermediary systems, i.e. edge device or gateway, each require an application-specific configuration which contains information about which data is required by which field device and how, and to which target system is to be transported.In order to design the connection between field devices and information processing target systems in such a way that the configuration effort for the user is minimized while maintaining a high degree of flexibility, the solution proposed is to create a configuration which includes at least one subconfiguration for a field device and one subconfiguration for a target system and to send this configuration from the field device to the target system for the step-by-step configuration for transmitting data from the field device to the target system; so that data sent from the field device to the target system is forwarded, processed, saved or discarded in the field device based on the subconfiguration of the field device and processed or saved in the target system based on the subconfiguration of the target system.This provides the user with a very convenient way of configuring the entire data communication path, whereby the configuration can also be created via Progressive Web App.

[0011] EP 3 737 108 B1 describes another possibility for using a progressive web app based on the configuration of a personal computing device for communication with an aerosol generating device, in which a native application starts a web browser on the personal computing device; the web browser in turn starts the progressive web application on the personal computing device, wherein the progressive web application causes the personal computing device to establish a short-range wireless communication connection with the aerosol generating device;and instructions and / or data for implementing one or more features of the progressive web application are stored in the browser memory of the web browser, so that after the web browser is closed by the native application and then restarted, the web browser can retrieve the instructions or data for implementing the one or more features of the progressive web application from the browser memory;

[0012] However, what all of the aforementioned prior art has in common is that an application is provided for the configuration of a device, in which all instructions and / or information required for a specific configuration or for a respective technical system must be provided in a bundled manner by the device manufacturer or then compiled by the user.

[0013] The object of the present invention is to enable a high degree of flexibility in the configuration of a field device while still keeping the technical complexity as low as possible, even in the case of a further increase in the number of degrees of freedom on both the manufacturer's and the user's side. The solution is provided by an object having the features according to one of the independent claims. Expedient embodiments are the subject of the respective dependent claims.

[0014] According to the invention, a configuration method is therefore provided in which, for the integration and / or adaptation of a field device in or to a technical system, a basic target configuration is first preset using a first application and then, using a second application, which is not the first APP, a more extensive, system-specific configuration based on the basic target configuration is necessarily carried out to complete the configuration of the field device.

[0015] The invention therefore has the significant advantage that, particularly when dealing with complex field devices with electronics that require explanation, a configuration for integrating and / or adapting a field device into or to a technical system by means of an app combination, i.e. by means of at least two different applications in contrast to the configuration using only one application, the majority of the necessary configuration, i.e. in particular a field device-specific configuration independent of the specific technical system, can be carried out in a first step and then, in a second step, the configuration of the field device is completed in accordance with the specific requirements of the technical system by means of a second application.Such an app combination creates a multitude of additional possible degrees of freedom, which leads to a reduction in technical effort on the part of the manufacturer, especially with regard to setting up the applications. This is because a large number of configuration options and settings that are repeated across field devices can be handled using a single application, and only specific configuration options and settings that depend on the respective technical system can be bundled in another application. As a result of this "division," this can simultaneously lead to simplified technical adaptation of the field device and thus also to a better user experience for the user / customer.

[0016] The structure of such an app combination can, in a practical embodiment, provide that the first application is executed as a web application, in particular as a progressive web app.

[0017] Further features and advantages are shown in the following description of some preferred embodiments and application examples, in particular with reference to the attached drawing, in which

[0018] Fig. 1 shows an exemplary and highly simplified multi-level configuration of a field device using at least two applications as an abstract diagram:

[0019] A preferred embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is first described below.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows an example in which, in a first step, a large part 2 of the necessary configuration can be carried out using a first application 1, also referred to below as the basic configuration 2. According to Fig. 1, this is preferably done based on web technologies, whereby the application 1 can be designed in particular as a PWA (progressive web app). The configuration is then completed in a second step using a second application 3. This configuration step, which concludes the configuration, is therefore based on the previously carried out basic configuration 2 and is carried out in a system-specific manner. In Fig. 1, *.exe represents a file with an application for Windows and *.js represents a JavaScript application for an Internet browser.

[0021] Thus, a manufacturer and / or user of a field device 100, e.g. a complex measuring device, can be directed to a first application 1 embodied as a progressive web app for the integration and / or adaptation of a field device into or to a technical system, e.g. initially using a browser 200 of a data processing device 300, as indicated by the double arrow marked "I" in Fig. 1, which first application 1 provides the majority of the configuration. If the field device 100 to be configured itself has a browser, this can also be used additionally or alternatively. The progressive web app is also expediently configured and contains corresponding instructions so that it can be executed in the browser 200 with advantages such as offline experience, installability and push notifications.Since a first application 1 implemented as a progressive web app is based on web standards, the first application 1 in practical implementation also functions preferably in the same way in the browser of a smartphone, tablet or desktop PC used as a data processing device 300. Such a data processing device 300 can therefore also be set up within the scope of the invention to call up an application 1 implemented as a web application, in particular as a progressive web app, as the first application. Certain functions can also expediently be offered, e.g. offline. When the configuration phase with the first application 1, i.e. in particular with the progressive web app, is completed, configuration files 2 are available, e.g. in *.json format, which thus relate to or define certain basic settings of the field device and thus its software and / or hardware components. These configuration files 2 are then stored, e.g. in a memory of the.

[0022] Data processing device 300, as indicated by the arrow marked “S” in Fig. 1.

[0023] This is, for example, the first part or step of an app combination after the invention.

[0024] Subsequently, i.e. later, in particular regardless of the first location and / or the time of the first part of the app combination app experience, the customer can then expediently open or initiate the second step of the app combination according to the invention. A system-specific application 3 which is then available, e.g. an application prepared by the manufacturer for further, system-specific adaptation of a field device and made available to the user, which application in turn can be stored on the data processing device 300, is opened and, for example, the configuration file 2 prepared according to Fig. 1 or the above description is used further. Building on the basic configuration, or according to the embodiment according to Fig. 1 using the prepared configuration file 2, the further, system-specific configuration for the field device 100 is then carried out. According to the embodiment according to Fig.1 expediently by the same data processing device 300, which has a suitably configured processor for this purpose, i.e., which is suitably configured to execute corresponding instructions, necessarily carry out a further, system-specific configuration based on the basic configuration in order to finalize the configuration. The transfer of the final configuration, i.e., the configuration settings, from the data processing device 300 to the field device 100, in order to expediently store them there, can then be carried out depending on the specific design. In other words, depending on the arrangement and specific design of the field device and the data processing device 300, the transmission can be wired or wireless. If necessary, the transmission can also be carried out via the Internet.In the present case, the data processing device 300 is thus expediently equipped with a computer processor which, on the instructions of a correspondingly configured computer program executed by the computer processor, carries out the above-described configuration method for integrating and / or adapting the field device 100 into or to a technical system not shown in detail in Fig. 1 for reasons of clarity.

[0025] The effectiveness of the app combination is increased if as many settings of the overall configuration as possible can be done in the first application.

[0026] It should be noted at this point that the transfer of configuration data 2 prepared by means of the first application 1 according to the arrow marked with "S" into a data processing device 300 can also only take place with the initiation of the second step of the app combination and that the configuration data are stored elsewhere until then, in particular in a storage location provided by the manufacturer.

[0027] By using a modern app combination according to the invention, the typically disadvantageous location and time constraints of single-app configuration methods can be eliminated. Furthermore, with the modern app combination according to the invention, complex preparations can be performed system-independently using the first application, allowing for a subsequent system-specific completion of the configuration with less effort, meaning that the system-specific configuration as a whole can be performed with less effort, and thus the electronics can be handled with greater precision.

[0028] In addition, the first application can already include virtually guided documentation of product features, so that product knowledge can be made available "incidentally" at the right time and in the right place (virtual, interactive documentation).

[0029] In addition to or as an alternative to the latter, product information (information from the data sheet, information from the advertising brochure, certificates of approval, etc.) can also be presented at the right time and in the right place.

[0030] The progressive web app format of the initial application allows for rapid distribution of app code to customers without the need for app store approval mechanisms. For example, the speed can be advantageous for custom development, allowing for appropriate customer feedback experiments with app code.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Configuration method for integrating and / or adapting a field device into or to a technical system, characterized in that a basic configuration (2) of the field device is carried out using a first application (1) and a more extensive, system-specific configuration based on the basic configuration is carried out using a second application (3), which is not the first application.

2. Configuration method according to claim 1, wherein the first application is executed as a web application, in particular as a progressive web app.

3. Data processing device (300) which is set up for the integration and / or adaptation of a field device (100) in or to a technical system, to obtain a basic configuration using a first APP and to carry out a further, system-specific configuration based on the basic configuration using a second app, which is not the first APP.

4. Data processing device (300) according to the preceding claim 3, which is further configured to transmit the system-specific configuration based on the basic configuration to the field device (100).

5. Data processing device (300) according to one of claims 3 or 4, which is configured to call up an application 1 implemented as a web application, in particular as a progressive web app, as the first application, or to be directed to a first application 1 implemented as a progressive web app.

6. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to To carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims 1 or 2.

7. A computer-readable medium on which the computer program according to the preceding claim is stored.

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