Abstract: A system and a microservice for monitoring a plant of automation technology, wherein the plant has a plurality of field devices the field devices can communicate via at least a first communication network with one another and with a control unit, comprising: an execution electronics, which can communicate with at least one of the field devices; and a configuration electronics, which is arranged removed from the execution electronics and which can communicate with the execution electronics via a second communication network, wherein the configuration electronics and/or the execution electronics has at least one microservice, which is appropriate for the type of the field device and which is embodied to provide at least one functionality for execution in the execution electronics and/or in the configuration electronics.

Abstract: A method for implementing at least one additional function of a field device in automation technology, wherein the field device is parametered and/or configured via a servicing device using a device description, wherein the method has the following method steps: the original device description, which comprehensively describes the field device, is made available; the original device description is expanded by a script or a supplemental device description fragment; wherein the script or the device description fragment comprehensively describes the additional function; and the field device is serviced from the servicing device by means of the expanded device description and is able to execute the additional function.

Abstract: A method for operating a field device, wherein at least one command that is in line with a communication protocol for operating a field device is sent from a higher-order unit to a field device by sending the command to an operating unit by means of a first bearer protocol and by transmitting the command from the operating unit to the field device by means of a second bearer protocol.

Abstract: A method to operate field devices using an operating device with a touch-sensitive input and/or display area via which, for the purpose of operation, a field-device-dependent main menu level is displayed with multiple segments and at least one first segmentation level, which is assigned to a specific segment. A zoom function is used to increase or reduce the size of a selected segment of the main menu level and change the transparency of the main menu level and the transparency of the first segmentation level so that the transparency of the main menu level increases and the transparency of the first segmentation level decreases when the user zooms in such that the first segmentation level becomes visible. The transparency of the main menu level decreases and the transparency of the first segmentation level increases when the user zooms out such that the main menu level becomes visible such that switching takes place between the main menu level and the first segmentation level assigned to the desired segment.

Abstract: An apparatus for integrating device objects into a superordinated control unit for field devices in automation technology. A predetermined operating system runs on the control unit, and the control unit communicates via a fieldbus with the field devices. A communication hardware is provided, having a first communication link for connecting to the control unit and a second communication link for connecting to the fieldbus. Associated with the communication hardware is a memory element. The communication hardware is so embodied, that, upon coupling of the communication hardware to the control unit via the first communication link, the frame application is started via the operating system of the control unit and the driver for the communication hardware is installed, so that operating personnel can, via the device objects stored in the memory element and the fieldbus, service the associated field devices.

Abstract: A method for offline servicing of a field device (FD) of automation technology by means of a service unit (SU), wherein a web server is associated with the field device (FD) and a web browser is associated with the service unit (SU), wherein the method has the following steps: the service unit (SU) connects via the web browser with the web server of the field device (FD) to be serviced; a control logic (CL) made available by the web server is loaded into the web browser; the control logic (CL) starts the download of offline web pages, which are present in the web server or are produced by it, and loads the web pages and the configuration data of the field device (FD) into the service unit (SU); and the current configuration data are, with involvement of the web pages and the loaded configuration data, edited or created offline in the service unit (SU).

Abstract: In a method for testing device descriptions for field devices of automation technology, a finite state machine is produced from a device description to serve as a basis for a test script. For testing the device description, the test script is executed, with data being sent to and received from the device description. In such case, it is tested whether desired values set in the test script agree with actual values delivered e.g. from the field device.

Abstract: A system for servicing field devices in an automation plant, comprising: a computing unit, which accesses the field devices via a communications network; a communications hardware; a server; an interpreter for electronic device descriptions; and a software component. The server, the interpreter for the electronic device descriptions and the software component are associated with the communications hardware. The software component, upon the occurrence of an event, identifies, by means of scanning, or polling, the field devices arranged in the communications network and utilizes the identification of the field devices, in order to activate corresponding electronic device descriptions in the interpreter and to provide correspondingly prepared information via the server to the computing unit for the purpose of servicing the field devices.

Abstract: A method for providing device-specific information of a field device of automation technology and/or to a method for servicing a field device, wherein a device description comprehensively describing the field device is integrated in a web server in the field device, wherein at least one part of the device description describing the field device is compiled/interpreted in a field device specific, software code in a web browser, which is connectable with the field device, and wherein, based on the field device specific, software code, there are presented on the web browser dynamically produced, device-specific web pages, via which operating personnel are provided device-specific information, and/or via which the field device is serviced by the operating personnel.

Abstract: A method for servicing field devices. The servicing of field devices occurs via at least one service unit and corresponding device driver comprehensively describing the field devices, wherein the method comprises method steps as follows: a user is provided on a display a menu structure with a plurality of different menus, wherein the menus describe properties of the field device and/or of the process, in which the field device is installed; the user selects a successive individual menu, which are required for the particular application; the menu elements predetermined by the menu are made available; the user selects from the menu elements those, which are suited for the particular application and configures a user-defined menu structure for the corresponding field device; the configured user-defined menu structure is stored, and, based on the user defined menu structure, the field device is serviced via the device driver associated with the field device.

Abstract: A method for creating a customer-specific setup for a library of device drivers, wherein each device driver is a software module, via which a field device, or a field device type, can be serviced. The method permits creation of an individualized, customer-specific setup for the device driver library. This is achieved by the feature that a DTM library setup is expanded automatically by earlier assembled, customer-specific information.

Abstract: A method for implementing at least one additional function of a field device in automation technology, wherein the field device is parametered and/or configured via a servicing device using a device description, wherein the method has the following method steps: the original device description, which comprehensively describes the field device, is made available; the original device description is expanded by a script or a supplemental device description fragment; wherein the script or the device description fragment comprehensively describes the additional function; and the field device is serviced from the servicing device by means of the expanded device description and is able to execute the additional function.

Abstract: A method for offline servicing of a field device (FD) of automation technology by means of a service unit (SU), wherein a web server is associated with the field device (FD) and a web browser is associated with the service unit (SU), wherein the method has the following steps: the service unit (SU) connects via the web browser with the web server of the field device (FD) to be serviced; a control logic (CL) made available by the web server is loaded into the web browser; the control logic (CL) starts the download of offline web pages, which are present in the web server or are produced by it, and loads the web pages and the configuration data of the field device (FD) into the service unit (SU); and the current configuration data are, with involvement of the web pages and the loaded configuration data, edited or created offline in the service unit (SU).

Abstract: A method for providing device-specific information of a field device of automation technology and/or for servicing a field device, wherein a web server is integrated in the field device at least a part of the device description describing the field device is compiled/interpreted into a field-device-specific software code for the web server, and, on the basis of the field-device-specific software code, there are presented on a display unit dynamically produced, device-specific, web pages, via which service personnel are provided device-specific information, and/or via which the field device is serviced by service personnel.

Abstract: A method for integration of device-objects in an object-based management system for field devices in automation technology, wherein the device-objects are used for servicing the field devices. Updated device objects or an updated version of a device-objects library, are/is stored on a physical storage medium, wherein the physical storage medium is connected with a control/display unit, on which a predetermined operating system is running, into which a frame application for the device objects is bound. A program is activated, which makes the updated device objects stored on the physical storage medium at least partially accessible on a display unit, as soon as the storage medium is connected with the control/display unit, and wherein, automatically or manually, a dialog is started, with which operating personnel can invoke a selected number of device-objects, and, via the updated device object, or updated device objects, service a corresponding field device, or corresponding field devices.

Abstract: A method for operating an object-based configuration system CS for field devices of automation technology, with a frame application FA, which serves for managing and instantiating a plurality of objects, wherein, to individual groups of device objects, field device types are assigned, which enable, as device managers, a configuration of the corresponding field device type. A first main object MO-1 is provided, which makes available a first object set OS-1 with device objects for a plurality of device types and instantiates, with the help of a first control engine, via an identifier ID, device objects of the first object set, in order to produce device managers for these field device types. Besides the first main object MO-1, a second main object MO-2 is provided, which has a second object set OS-2, wherein individual device objects of the second object set OS-2 are updated device objects of the first object set OS 1.

Abstract: In a method for testing device descriptions for field devices of automation technology, a finite state machine is produced from a device description to serve as a basis for a test script. For testing the device description, the test script is executed, with data being sent to and received from the device description. In such case, it is tested whether desired values set in the test script agree with actual values delivered e.g. from the field device.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically registering topology of individual components of a process installation in automation technology. The components include field devices ascertaining or influencing physical and/or chemical, process variables. A superordinated control unit is provided, which communicates with the field devices via a fieldbus protocol conventional in automation technology and via which the field devices can be serviced. A radio tag is associated with each field device. Stored on the radio tag is topology-relevant information of the corresponding field device. A radio tag reader is provided, which registers the topology-relevant information of the radio tags and forwards such to the superordinated control unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for integrating device objects into a superordinated control unit for field devices in automation technology, wherein a predetermined operating system runs on the control unit, the control unit communicates via a fieldbus with the field devices and the device objects serve for servicing the field devices. A communication hardware is provided, having a first communication link for connecting to the control unit and a second communication link for connecting to the fieldbus. Associated with the communication hardware is a memory element, in which the device objects, a driver for the communication hardware and a frame application for the device objects are stored.

Abstract: A method for online servicing of a field device of automation technology with a servicing program running on a computer unit connected with the field device via a communication connection. The servicing program requires a device description for display of field-device-specific servicing elements or menu structures, and it is provided that the field device is opened via the device description and field-device-specific servicing elements or menu structures for transmitting from the field device to the device description, so that the field-device-specific servicing elements or menu structures can be displayed with the help of the servicing program.