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: 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 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 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: 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: 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: Process for developing and implementing a model (ASM) for the formal description of a collaborative system including multiple, distributed components, wherein analyzable models of the components are generated via simulation processes. The invention includes the steps of generation of models of collaborative units, preparation of a catalog of models of the collaborative units, assignment of a set of rules to the catalog for the specification of interactions among the autonomous models of the collaborative units and for the development of the model of the complex collaborative system, generation of the desired model using selected models of the collaborative units as the basic module from the catalog, and taking selected rules into account, and automatic adaptation of the model by deriving new rules, taking into account evaluation parameters for each application in one process operation.

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 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: 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.

Abstract: An automation system including a service-oriented architecture and decentralized, distributed components and/or devices in a flexible and reconfigurable production environment. The system includes at least one host computer which is connected to service-oriented components and/or devices by means of a data transmission system such as Ethernet. In order to establish service-oriented systems of devices/components, the execution thereof in a virtual network and the synchronization thereof with real, physically existing components is provided such that the at least one host computer includes a virtual simulation-based engineering-environment including a virtual service-oriented communication platform for exchanging messages and interactions based on web services between virtual models of components and/or devices, in which the functionality thereof is available in the form of services.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for developing an agent-based, preferably a multi-agent-based, control system (SS) for an industrial flexible production system (PS). To simplify implementation of a control system for a flexible production system, it is provided that a simulation model (KM) of the production system (PS) is generated, and that the simulation model (KM) derived from the production system (PS) is transformed directly into models of a multi-agent-based control system (MASS).

Abstract: Process for developing and implementing a model (ASM) for the formal description of a collaborative system including multiple, distributed components, wherein analyzable models of the components are generated via simulation processes. The invention includes the steps of generation of models of collaborative units, preparation of a catalog of models of the collaborative units, assignment of a set of rules to the catalog for the specification of interactions among the autonomous models of the collaborative units and for the development of the model of the complex collaborative system, generation of the desired model using selected models of the collaborative units as the basic module from the catalog, and taking selected rules into account, and automatic adaptation of the model by deriving new rules, taking into account evaluation parameters for each application in one process operation.