Abstract: A method for orchestrating services of a service-oriented automation system (SOAS), system components (SMC, LCC) offering services (S, WS) that represent the functionality thereof and requesting services (S) of other system components (SMC, LCC), the behavior of the automation system (SOAS) being controlled by the orchestration of the services (S) of the system components (SMC, LCC) using an orchestration machine (OE), and to an orchestration machine for orchestrating services of a service-oriented automation system (SOAS). In order to achieve an orchestration of services at a device level, it is provided that the orchestration machine (OE) uses high-level Petri nets tailored to service-oriented systems and the orchestration of the services (S) at the device level is performed by interpretation and execution of various HLPN models, which represent the behavior of the automation system (SOAS) and/or the system components (SMC, LCC).

Abstract: A method for specifying the behavior of autonomous and collaborative automation devices in manufacturing plants with a service-oriented architecture and to a service-oriented automation device. In order to describe the operating behavior of such devices, the invention proposes the steps of original setting-up of the automation device, including configuration, depiction of services, establishment of connections to other automation devices and transfer of the set-up to waiting original status, receiving the events through service operations, internal device interfaces of inputs/outputs and/or generated directly from the controls, evaluating the received events, executing the events and changing the state of the model-based middleware shell, wherein the system achieves the next state and is capable of receiving further events.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for providing monitoring characteristics in an industrial environment on the basis of a service oriented architecture (SOA), for the purpose of allowing monitoring of changes in state of a process and/or of production equipment of an industrial plant. The changes in state are obtained by analyzing feature-based monitoring characteristics provided as a service by components of the industrial plant to be monitored as monitoring components. Service orchestrators generate new model-based monitoring characteristics using physical or logical rules of a process model. The model-based monitoring characteristics are provided as a service and can be provided by means of a service-oriented network for arbitrary linking in a control system comprising a service orchestrator.

Abstract: A communication module for connecting electrical host devices, each with an individual physical interface, to different external networks, where the communication module is connected to the host device via an interface and provides at least two physical interfaces, and where the communication module has a network connector which is adapted to the respective external network. In order to enable development of communication modules independently of the individual host device and to reuse them for many different host devices, provision is made for the host device to have a processor for identifying the communication module and for selecting the at least one physical interface which is suitable for the host device by means of serial communication.

Abstract: A method for converting traditional ladder diagrams for programmable controllers according to model 984, for example, the traditional ladder diagrams being read and executed column by column, into ladder diagrams for IEC 61131-oriented controllers, for example, with the ladder diagrams being read and executed in a data flow-oriented manner. In order to carry out the method, it is determined, in the ladder diagrams that are traditionally read and executed column by column, whether variables are provided on coils as well as on contacts within the network, and it is determined whether the contact is processed according to model 984 in front of the associated coil and according to the IEC model behind the associated coil. If so, an additional variable is generated for each such variable, and the additional variable is fed to the respective contact instead of the original variable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transmitting data between a first automation appliance, and at least one second automation appliance, via a CANopen bus using a service data object as an SDO service, wherein an SDO client implemented in the first automation appliance is used to send a download or upload request to an SDO server implemented in the at least one second automation appliance, wherein the data are encapsulated in a CANopen frame by an application implemented in the first automation appliance or the at least one second automation appliance wherein the CANopen frame with the encapsulated data is transmitted or sent by means of an SDO service into or out of a data tunnel object defined in an object directory of the SDO server, and wherein the encapsulated data are decapsulated by the application implemented in the first or the at least one second automation appliance.

Abstract: A relay connection with at least two relays (K1, K2) connected in series or in parallel to a supply voltage (UV). In order to achieve a defined relay cut-out sequence should there be a dip in the supply voltage and consequently to increase safety, it is provided that the relays (K1, K2) have different minimum holding voltages (UHalt,min1; UHalt,min2) and/or inductive resistances (Rsp1; Rsp2).

Abstract: A method for configuring an automation device or simulator for controlling mechatronics components of an automation system, including: generating HLPN component models for each type of the mechatronic components of the automation system, creating a component instance model from an HLPN component model for each physically present mechatronic component, creating a layout configuration file, which describes relationships of the component instance models to be connected, composing the component instance models into a system model based on the layout configuration file, wherein logic ports of the component instance models are connected/linked to each other, generating configuration files based on a system model and device description files and WSDL files of the component instance models, loading the configuration files into the automation device or simulator containing the HLPN orchestration machine, and executing the configuration files by the HLPN orchestration machine of the automation device or the simulator.

Abstract: A communication converter for connecting automation devices having different operating voltages to a host computer, including an interface component and a transceiver component coupled to the interface component, the interface component being connected on the input side via a host connector to a host interface of the host computer and the transceiver component being connected via a device connector to a device interface of the automation device, and a voltage transformer, which on the input side is connected via the host interface to an operating voltage and on the output side to a voltage supply line of the device interface. So the communication converter can communicate with devices having different interface standards, the converter has a first current/voltage measuring unit, a second current/voltage measuring unit, and a switching device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a collaborative automation system (PS), comprising devices providing divided production and control services (D) such as transport and processing machines (M) with associated device agents (ST-AG, MA-AG), products with associated product agents (WP-AG), and a coordination unit (CO) providing a communication platform (SKP); the invention further relates to a method for the control of such a system. In order to obtain a dynamic detection and calling of processes in a loosely coupled production structure and infrastructure, the invention provides for devices (ST, MA, WP) providing the production and control services to be associated with a DPWS-based web service (ST-WS; MA-WS), wherein device functions are implemented into the DPWS-based web service as device service and agent functions. The communication platform (SKP) is designed as a uniform, DPWS-oriented SOA platform.

Abstract: An emergency stop module arrangement having a logic circuit for the detecting a switching status of an emergency stop switch and for the control of a load switch for the safe connection and disconnection of a load, wherein the emergency stop module arrangement has a first emergency stop module and a second emergency stop module, and wherein the first emergency stop module is coupled via an interface connection to the second emergency stop module. To reduce the wiring complexity as well as the space requirement for the arrangement in a switching cabinet, it is provided that the emergency stop modules are designed as plug-on modules which can be plugged on the load switches, and that each one of the emergency stop modules has at least one switching means which is mechanically positively driven with the coupled load switch.

Abstract: A method for developing a multi-agent system and a multi-agent system, such as an automation and/or production system, including software and/or hardware components, the resources and functions of these components being represented and/or controlled through software agents, each of the software agents having the capability of achieving goals through interaction with the environment and with other agents. In order to increase reconfigurability and flexibility, the resources and functions of the software agents are depicted as services, where each software agent, in order to achieve its own goals, calls up services of other software agents and offers its own resources and functions to other software agents as services.

Abstract: A communication module for connecting electrical host devices, each with an individual physical interface, to different external networks, where the communication module is connected to the host device via an interface and provides at least two physical interfaces, and where the communication module has a network connector which is adapted to the respective external network. In order to enable development of communication modules independently of the individual host device and to reuse them for many different host devices, provision is made for the host device to have a processor for identifying the communication module and for selecting the at least one physical interface which is suitable for the host device by means of serial communication.

Abstract: A method for specifying the behavior of autonomous and collaborative automation devices in manufacturing plants with a service-oriented architecture and to a service-oriented automation device. In order to describe the operating behavior of such devices, the invention proposes the steps of original setting-up of the automation device, including configuration, depiction of services, establishment of connections to other automation devices and transfer of the set-up to waiting original status, receiving the events through service operations, internal device interfaces of inputs/outputs and/or generated directly from the controls, evaluating the received events, executing the events and changing the state of the model-based middleware shell, wherein the system achieves the next state and is capable of receiving further events.

Abstract: An interaction method between service-oriented components and devices, where services offered by a service-provider are requested by a service-requester. In order to broaden flexibility and to simplify reconfiguration of the system, each service includes a set of ports and each port is an instance of a port-type that defines a set of interaction operations and corresponding message transfers between the service-provider and service-requester. The service provided by the service-provider is carried out in several interaction phases with the service-requester, and the interaction phases follow the specific protocols linked to the instances of port-type and the service is accessed by a sequence of different ports that are linked to the phases.

Abstract: A method for controlling interaction between modules such as a communication module (KOM-MOD), control module (LC-MOD), device-interface module (GI-MOD) of a service oriented component (SOK). According to the invention, in order to simplify the interaction between modules during different and concurrent processes, the interaction between the modules (KOM-MOD; LC-MOD; GI-MOD) is event based and the modules (KOM-MOD; LC-MOD; GI-MOD) are coupled by an event-router scheduler module (EAS-MOD) for providing an event-router-scheduler for event-based connections and synchronisation of the module (KOM-MOD; LC-MOD; GI-MOD).

Abstract: A method for orchestrating and integrating services offered by service-oriented automation components of a manufacturing facility from one manufacturing level to a higher level such as the corporate, business and/or production level. In order to configure flexible production factories in the form of an orchestration process and to specify elements, the service-oriented automation components are coupled to the higher level by way of an orchestration middleware and the services offered by the service-oriented automation components are integrated into the higher level using a vector function and a layout that is based on the orchestration of service-oriented automation components.

Abstract: An automation device with an execution mechanism for control programs and also a web-services stack for communication with other automation devices and/or automation software, as well as a method for programming thereof are disclosed. For programming and configuration of the control program, the invention provides that the automation device has an integrated, web-based programming interface. According to the method, a connection is set up between the web browser and a web-based programming interface integrated in the automation device, a programmer/configuration application is displayed in the web browser, at least one control program is generated by use of a programming language, and a web service is configured for access to the at least one control program.

Abstract: A method for orchestrating services of a service-oriented automation system (SOAS), system components (SMC, LCC) offering services (S, WS) that represent the functionality thereof and requesting services (S) of other system components (SMC, LCC), the behavior of the automation system (SOAS) being controlled by the orchestration of the services (S) of the system components (SMC, LCC) using an orchestration machine (OE), and to an orchestration machine for orchestrating services of a service-oriented automation system (SOAS). In order to achieve an orchestration of services at a device level, it is provided that the orchestration machine (OE) uses high-level Petri nets tailored to service-oriented systems and the orchestration of the services (S) at the device level is performed by interpretation and execution of various HLPN models, which represent the behavior of the automation system (SOAS) and/or the system components (SMC, LCC).

Abstract: The invention relates to a control system with service-oriented architecture for a flexible production system, comprising decentralized, distributed devices coupled together via a data communication system for the exchange of data, said devices having at least one software component and electrical and/or mechanical components. Said invention also relates to a method based on the development and implementation of service-oriented software components as component parts of a service-oriented architecture for decentralized, distributed devices in flexible production systems.