Reusable Software Objects for Industrial Automation Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges due to limited interoperability and consistency between components from different vendors, leading to user dissatisfaction and increased engineering costs, which hinders efficient workflow management and integration of diverse components.
Innovation Solution
A holistic, bottom-up approach is implemented using reusable software objects that can be customized and integrated across various industrial automation systems, stored in a library with associated metadata for easy management and deployment, facilitating interoperability and efficient workflow design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If components from multiple vendors are integrated into industrial automation systems, then system functionality and versatility are improved, but interoperability and consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a standardized object model that enables components from different vendors to interact through common interfaces and data structures. The Automation Objects use universal communication protocols and standardized data formats, allowing the system to work with diverse components while maintaining consistent behavior and interoperability across vendor boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a standardized object layer that acts as an intermediary between diverse vendor components and the control system. This object model translates various vendor-specific interfaces into a unified communication framework, mediating interactions between components from different sources and ensuring consistent interoperability without requiring direct vendor-specific integrations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If components from multiple vendors are integrated into industrial automation systems, then system functionality and versatility are improved, but engineering costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized object model provides universal interfaces and communication protocols that work across all vendor components, eliminating the need for custom integration work for each vendor. Engineers can use the same object templates and communication frameworks regardless of which vendor's components are used, significantly reducing engineering time and costs while maintaining the ability to integrate diverse components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses template-based object definitions that can be copied and reused across different components and vendors. Once an object model is defined for a particular function, it can be replicated and adapted for different vendors' components without redesigning the integration architecture, reducing repetitive engineering work and associated costs.
3Reliability
If standardized objects with metadata are used, then interoperability and information management are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the system into standardized, modular objects with defined interfaces and metadata. Each object represents a discrete functional unit with specific attributes and behaviors, making the overall system more manageable despite its complexity. The segmentation into reusable objects with consistent metadata structures allows complex interoperability requirements to be handled through standardized building blocks rather than monolithic integration logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses metadata parameters to dynamically configure object behavior and relationships without changing the underlying system architecture. By storing configuration information, communication protocols, and interaction rules as modifiable parameters within the object metadata, the system can adapt to different interoperability requirements through parameter adjustments rather than structural changes, managing complexity through configurability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Content management includes populating a library with modular objects and metadata associated with the modular objects. In response to a query, the library can be searched based in part on the metadata. The query can relate to implementation of an industrial process. One or more modular objects in the library can be identified as satisfying the query. A result of the query can be output and the output can include the identified modular objects and the respective metadata associated with the identified modular objects. The metadata can be anything known about the object that might not be accessible at runtime control.