OPC UA Instance Linking With PLC Code for Automation Interoperability

The patent introduces a development environment as an intermediary tool that automatically generates linking code between OPC UA objects and PLC code objects. This mediator handles the complex mapping and connection logic, eliminating the need for manual programming of linkages while ensuring reliable data communication between different automation system units.

The development environment performs preliminary actions by automatically generating the linking code and configuration before the actual deployment. The tool pre-establishes the connections between OPC UA objects and PLC objects, so that when the system is deployed, the linking is already in place without requiring substantial programming effort during implementation.

The patent implements a universal development environment that works with OPC UA objects from different manufacturers and different types of automation units. This single tool provides multi-functional capabilities to handle various data communication scenarios, generating appropriate linking code for different object types without requiring separate solutions for each manufacturer or device type.

The development environment uses template-based copying mechanisms where standard linking patterns are predefined and automatically copied and adapted to specific cases. Instead of manually designing complex data communication structures for each scenario, the tool copies proven linking templates and instantiates them with the specific object parameters, simplifying the overall structure.

The development environment incorporates feedback mechanisms that automatically verify the matching between OPC UA instances and PLC objects. The tool provides feedback on whether objects are correctly paired, highlighting mismatches and suggesting corrections. This feedback loop ensures high matching accuracy while maintaining automatic linking speeds.

The patent replaces manual mechanical matching processes with automated computational methods. Instead of manually comparing and matching object parameters, the development environment uses automated algorithms to identify and establish correct correspondences between OPC UA instances and PLC objects, achieving both speed and precision through computational rather than manual means.