Device Commissioning Configuration via Digital Twin Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manual configuration of devices in technical or cyber-physical systems is error-prone and time-consuming, requiring skilled engineers and leading to inconsistent deployment of software and configuration data.

Innovation Solution

An automated method and tool that collects device-specific information, fetches engineering data from a development control system via a digital-system-device-twin, and uses a matching algorithm to identify and deploy software and configuration data, reducing human interaction and errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual configuration is performed by skilled engineers, then configuration accuracy and reliability are improved, but configuration time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration accuracyVSAvoidconfiguration time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a digital twin of the physical device that stores all configuration information, software packages, and engineering data. This digital copy enables automated retrieval and deployment of configuration data without manual intervention, resolving the contradiction by providing both speed (automation) and accuracy (verified through consistency checks against the digital twin)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If manual configuration is performed by skilled engineers, then configuration reliability is improved, but resource cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration accuracyVSAvoidresource cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service configuration through automated processes that collect device information, retrieve appropriate software packages from repositories, and deploy configurations without human intervention. The digital twin stores all necessary engineering data, allowing the system to configure devices autonomously while maintaining reliability through automated consistency verification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If automated configuration is implemented, then configuration speed and productivity are improved, but configuration reliability may deteriorate due to automation errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration speedVSAvoidconfiguration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automated consistency checks that verify deployed configuration data against the digital twin and device specifications. This feedback mechanism detects and prevents configuration errors, ensuring that automated deployment maintains high reliability while achieving fast configuration speeds through automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Adaptability or versatility

If manual configuration is performed, then adaptability to complex cases is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling complex casesVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The digital twin serves as a universal repository that stores engineering data for multiple device types and configurations. The automated system can handle various device models, software versions, and configuration scenarios through a single unified process, making the system both adaptable to complex cases and easy to operate without requiring manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4040245B1Method, computer-implemented-tool, contraption and configuration arrangement for configuring a device to be commissioned of a set of devices for commissioning with a technical or cyber-physical system

Publication Date: 2025.09.10 SIEMENS AG

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AI summary

In order to configure (cfg) a device (DVc) to be commissioned of a set of devices (DV1...DVn) for commissioning (CMS) with a technical or cyber-physical system (SYt,cp), by which the device to be commissioned for its in-system-operation is commissioned under device-consistency-check conditions less error prone, it is proposed (a) to automatically deploy (dpl) software package data (SWPD) and configuration data (CFGD) by (a1) collecting (clt) commissioning-related, configuration-relevant information (IFCMS,cfg) of the device from the system or the device to be commissioned, (a2) fetching (ftc) engineering data (EGDDV1...Dvn) for the set of devices from a development control system (DCS) with access to device data usable for the configuration provided by a digital-system-device-twin (DSDT) and (a3) identifying (idf) the software package data (SWPD) and the configuration data (CFGD) out of the collected information (IFCMS,cfg) and the fetched engineering data for the set of devices by determining stepwise, for each device of the set of devices, and based on a matching algorithm (MAG), whether the collected information matches each with the corresponding fetched engineering data, wherein the software package data and the configuration data are identified when a match is determined otherwise in the case of a mismatch and to still identify the software package data and the configuration data an heuristic approach is used to determine a partially match, and (b) to flash or upload the identified software package data and configuration data on the device to configure it for the commissioning with the system and its in-system-operation.