Abstract: A cloud-based operator interface system is provided that runs as a cloud service on a cloud platform. The cloud-based operator interface system collects industrial data from one or more industrial systems via respective cloud gateway devices. A set of predefined operator interface screens are stored on cloud storage associated with the operator interface system, and delivered to authorized Internet-capable client devices upon request. The industrial data received from the cloud gateways can be delivered to the client devices from the cloud platform via the operator interface screens. Additional cloud-side services can correlate and analyzes the industrial data on the cloud platform to facilitate additional reporting, alarming, and notification features.

Abstract: A cloud-aware smart device that facilitates automated configuration and integration of the device within an automation system is provided. Upon installation within the automation system, the smart device determines its geographical location, identifies other devices on the system, and determines its role within the system. The smart device then establishes communication with a cloud platform running one or more cloud-based applications or services and sends a device profile containing the gathered information to the cloud platform. The device profile can be used to automatically configure the device for operation within the system or to add the smart device to an existing cloud-based application.

Abstract: A cloud-capable industrial device that provides time-stamped industrial data to a cloud platform is provided. The industrial device collects or generates industrial data in connection with monitoring and/or controlling an automation system, and includes a cloud interface that couples the industrial device to one or more cloud-based services running on a cloud platform. The industrial device can apply time stamps to respective items of industrial data reflecting a time that the data was measured or generated prior to providing the data to the cloud platform. To accurately reflect temporal relationships between data sets provided to the cloud platform from different locations and time zones, the industrial device can synchronize its internal clock with a clock associated with the cloud platform.

Abstract: A cloud-aware smart device that facilitates automated configuration and integration of the device within an automation system is provided. Upon installation within the automation system, the smart device determines its geographical location, identifies other devices on the system, and determines its role within the system. The smart device then establishes communication with a cloud platform running one or more cloud-based applications or services and sends a device profile containing the gathered information to the cloud platform. The device profile can be used to automatically configure the device for operation within the system or to add the smart device to an existing cloud-based application.

Abstract: A library of cloud templates for configuring cloud-based industrial solutions is provided. A cloud template provisioning system provides a platform for location and retrieval of a variety of cloud templates that facilitate configuration of cloud-based industrial applications, including control panel templates, dashboard templates, data historian templates, virtual machine management templates, and other such templates. The cloud templates can be installed and executed on a client device to provide an intuitive interface for configuring various aspects of the cloud-based solution.

Abstract: A library of cloud templates for configuring cloud-based industrial solutions is provided. A cloud template provisioning system provides a platform for location and retrieval of a variety of cloud templates that facilitate configuration of cloud-based industrial applications, including control panel templates, dashboard templates, data historian templates, virtual machine management templates, and other such templates. The cloud templates can be installed and executed on a client device to provide an intuitive interface for configuring various aspects of the cloud-based solution.

Abstract: An industrial automation environment communication system comprises a component that receives a web-based request in an industrial automation environment, wherein the web-based request includes data relating to an automation device. An encapsulating component encapsulates the web-based request, wherein the encapsulation facilitates transmitting the data to the automation device via an industrial automation network protocol.

Abstract: Data is formatted based at least in part upon attributes associated with such data. Data attributes can be related to a number of various factors in a data driven architecture such as the source of the data, the data subscriber and the path employed to convey the data from the source to the subscriber. In addition, data formatting can employ various levels of complexity and data presentation can vary dependent on various factors such as display device and user to which the data is presented. For example, the format of the data can refer to the size, shape, color, and graphics associated therewith.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods that format data based at least in part upon attributes associated with such data. Data attributes can be related to a number of various factors in a data driven architecture such as the source of the data, the data subscriber and the path employed to convey the data from the source to the subscriber. In addition, data formatting can employ various levels of complexity and data presentation can vary dependent on various factors such as display device and user to which the data is presented. For example, the format of the data can refer to the size, shape, color, and graphics associated therewith.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use with a plurality of resources integrated within a space for performing a process and a program run by a processor for controlling the process, the apparatus for associating the resources with the program and comprising a processor running a program to perform the steps of identifying at least a first reference point within the space, identifying the relative juxtaposition of at least a first resource with respect to the first reference point and associating the first resource with the program as a function of the relative juxtaposition of the first resource to the reference point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use with a plurality of resources integrated within a space for performing a process and a program run by a processor for controlling the process, the method for associating the program with the resources and comprising the steps of identifying at least a first reference point within the space, identifying the relative juxtaposition of at least a first resource with respect to the first reference point and associating the first resource with the program as a function of the relative juxtaposition of the resource to the reference point.

Abstract: A security system that relates to industrial automation security comprises a component that receives a request to modify security relating to a zone of a factory floor, the zone being less than an entirety of the factory floor. A zonal security component generates security procedures for the zone, the security procedures differ from security procedures implemented on the factory floor outside the zone.

Abstract: A cloud-compatible industrial device is provided. The industrial device generates or collects raw industrial data in connection with monitoring and/or controlling an automation system, and includes a cloud interface that couples the industrial device to one or more cloud-based services running on a cloud platform. To reduce consumption of cloud-based resources such as bandwidth and storage utilization, the industrial device can transform the raw industrial data into refined data that is amenable for cloud-based storage, computing, or analysis. Exemplary transformations include filtering, pruning, re-formatting, compressing, summarizing. In one or more embodiments, the industrial device can also add contextual metadata to the raw data prior to delivery to the cloud.

Abstract: A cloud-based operator interface system is provided that runs as a cloud service on a cloud platform. The cloud-based operator interface system collects industrial data from one or more industrial systems via respective cloud gateway devices. A set of predefined operator interface screens are stored on cloud storage associated with the operator interface system, and delivered to authorized Internet-capable client devices upon request. The industrial data received from the cloud gateways can be delivered to the client devices from the cloud platform via the operator interface screens. Additional cloud-side services can correlate and analyzes the industrial data on the cloud platform to facilitate additional reporting, alarming, and notification features.

Abstract: A cloud gateway for coupling an industrial system to a cloud platform is provided. The cloud gateway collects data from one or more industrial controllers, meters, sensors, or other devices comprising an industrial automation system. The cloud gateway optionally performs additional transformations on the data to add context, summarize, filter, reformat, and/or encrypt the data. The cloud gateway then sends data to a cloud platform for use by one or more cloud-based applications or services. The cloud gateway can facilitate cloud-based data collection from both fixed-location and mobile industrial systems. The cloud gateway can also support store-and-forward logic, allowing industrial data to be temporarily stored in local storage in the event that communication between the cloud gateway and the cloud platform is disrupted.

Abstract: A system that facilitates direct communication of a transaction between an automation controller and a business system comprises a request analyzer that receives a request for data relating to the automation controller and locates a transaction definition within the automation controller based upon the request. A subscribing component subscribes the business system to the automation controller based at least in part upon the located transaction definition.

Abstract: The invention employs systems and methods to provide addressing for appropriate access to data in automation devices. Data attributes can be related to a number of various factors in a data driven architecture such as the source of the data, the data subscriber and/or the path employed to convey the data from the source to the subscriber. In addition, data attributes can refer to the format, scale, units, length, visualization and transactional capabilities of the data. The subject invention can point to the appropriate address of the requested data wherein the data can have desired attributes associated therewith. In this manner, data can be selected based on the requirements of the requestor and/or the loading demands of network communication.

Abstract: A security system that relates to industrial automation security comprises a component that receives a request to modify security relating to a zone of a factory floor, the zone being less than an entirety of the factory floor. A zonal security component generates security procedures for the zone, the security procedures differ from security procedures implemented on the factory floor outside the zone.

Abstract: A security system that relates to industrial automation security comprises a component that receives a request to modify security relating to a zone of a factory floor, the zone being less than an entirety of the factory floor. A zonal security component generates security procedures for the zone, the security procedures differ from security procedures implemented on the factory floor outside the zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods that support object oriented access to information at multiple levels in a control architecture, for example. Such data access can be facilitated as a layer adjacent to or part of an MES system or as a white box cooperating to encapsulate data such as in the controller or the MES layer, for example. In addition, such object oriented data access can be built into a controller as a standard behavior of controller data types and tags of those data types. In this manner, data can be encapsulated as a data object to expose properties and/or methods related to the data utilizing a common interface with each data consumer. Thus, the data consumer can employ object oriented concepts, such as properties, methods, scope qualifiers, access qualifiers (private, protected, public enterprise), polymorphism, inheritance and the like directly with their automation system components.