OPC UA Component Mapping for Automated Plant Parameter Configuration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication mechanisms and protocols in industrial plants often require costly and error-prone manual adaptation when different protocols need to cooperate, leading to inefficiencies in data exchange between components.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a mapping tool to automatically configure components with an OPC UA server by selecting the server, retrieving data models and parameters, and establishing relations between them, allowing seamless communication through automated mapping and configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual adaptation of protocols is performed to enable communication between different protocols, then communication compatibility is achieved, but the effort, cost, and error rate increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mapping tool that automatically creates mappings between different data models (OPC UA and VDI 2658). This intermediary system translates between protocols without requiring manual adaptation, thereby achieving communication compatibility while reducing the complexity and effort of protocol integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The mapping tool serves multiple functions: it automatically generates mappings, configures address spaces, and enables communication between different protocols. By making the tool universal and multi-functional, the system reduces the need for separate manual adaptation processes for each protocol pair, thereby reducing overall adaptation effort.
2Reliability
If manual protocol adaptation is performed, then communication between components is established, but the process becomes error-prone and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping tool performs self-service by automatically generating mappings between data models without requiring manual intervention. The system configures itself by retrieving data models from databases and automatically creating the necessary address space configurations, thereby eliminating human errors and reducing configuration costs while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring mapping relationships and address spaces before actual communication is needed. By preparing the mappings in advance through automated processes, the system ensures reliable communication while avoiding the errors and costs associated with manual last-minute adaptations.
3Loss of information
If comprehensive parameter mapping is performed for all attributes, then communication completeness is improved, but memory usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively mapping only the necessary parameters and attributes based on the specific communication requirements. Instead of universally mapping all possible attributes, the system configures address spaces with only the relevant data points needed for each component, thereby maintaining data exchange completeness while minimizing memory usage.
4Productivity
If automated mapping configuration is implemented, then configuration time is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping tool acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of automated mapping configuration. By introducing this specialized intermediary system, the patent achieves fast automated configuration while containing the system complexity within the mapping tool itself, rather than distributing complexity throughout the entire system architecture.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a
AI summary
The invention relates to the field of controlling an industrial plant or a sub-system of an industrial plant. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for configuring a component (34, 36) of a sub-system (20) of an industrial plant, the component (34, 36) comprising an OPC UA Server (35, 37) and an OPC UA data model comprising attributes of the component (34, 36), the method comprising the steps of: selecting, by an OPC UA Client (12) of a mapping tool (10), the OPC UA Server (35, 37) of the component (34, 36); receiving, by the OPC UA Client (12) of the mapping tool (10), from the OPC UA Server (35, 37) of the component (34, 36), the OPC UA data model of the component (34, 36), wherein the OPC UA data model comprises a list of attributes; retrieving, by the mapping tool (10), from an engineering database (40) related to the component (34, 36), a list of parameters of the component (34, 36); retrieving, by the mapping tool (10), from a dictionary (17) in a dictionary database (16), a list of relations between the attributes of the OPC UA data model and the parameters of the component (34, 36); checking, by the mapping tool (10), for each attribute of the list of attributes of the OPC UA data model, if the dictionary (17) contains a relation comprising this attribute from the list of relations; for each relation that comprises this attribute, adding, by the mapping tool (10), the relation to a mapping definition file (18); configuring, by the mapping tool (10), the component (34, 36) by adding, based on the mapping definition file (18), the parameters to the address space of its OPC UA Server (35, 37), using an OPC UA ReferenceType HasDictionaryEntry; and reading, by an OPC UA Client (33) of a control unit, PLC (32), the parameters of the component (34, 36).