Abstract: The invention discloses a remotely operated system, comprising: —at least one edge-cloud system designed as a computing and storage system and designed to run virtualized applications, —at least one I/O interfaces designed to access, control, configure and operate hardware resources of the remotely operated system, —at least one virtualized I/O interface implemented in the edge-cloud system and designed to virtualize the I/O interface and to be available inside the edge-cloud system in such a way, that functions realized in the edge-cloud system only use the virtualized I/O interfaces, —a communication module configured to externally communicate and connect the remotely operated system to further systems, and —an edge-network designed to interconnect different edge-cloud systems and to provide a communication link to the communication module of the remotely operated system. The invention further discloses a use of the remotely operated system.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a control device for setting up and/or providing a working environment with at least one performance unit to perform at least one factory task by means of machines comprising: a resource management unit programmed to request resources necessary for the working environment; and a comparison unit programmed to compare the requested resources with at least one resource agreed upon in a binding agreement stored in a distributed database and to approve the requested resource in dependence on the comparison result. The control device is programmed to set up and/or provide the working environment with at least one compared and approved resource. The at least one performance unit is programmed to coordinate the checking for complete factory task performance by one or more units involved in the working environment.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a method for configuring an industrial communication network. The method may include: deploying an application to a digital twin set up to represent an industrial communication system, devices connected to the network, processes, and physical interactions; running the application on the digital twin; collecting data of the application's communication traffic; classifying the application's end points and communication characteristics based on the collected communication traffic; changing the communication characteristics of the communication links until reaching limits of performance quality; deriving network parameters required by the application; and configuring the industrial communication network based on the determined network parameters.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include an automated method for data access to a device by an external client, allowing the device to communicate with an internal communication network while the external client communicates with an external communication network. An example method includes: sending a communication access request from the external client for the device to a software implemented application access point; configuring a corresponding software implemented connector using the application access point, so the connector acts as an endpoint for a communication tunnel to the device; configuring a corresponding software implemented policy decision point using the application access point as an interface to the external network for arriving of application data traffic of the external client, so the policy decision point is set up to validate, accept, and forward the access request of the external client to the connector; and accessing the device via the communication tunnel.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for transmitting data from a transmission source to a transmission target using at least two components of a network moving relative to the transmission source and/or transmission target. The method may include transmitting data using a distributed database having at least two parts transmitted by at least two of the components. The at least two parts are linked cryptographically to one another.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods for a communication between a sensor and a satellite, and sensors for carrying out such a method. The sensor has a transmission unit for transmitting sensor data from the sensor to the satellite and a computing unit for calculating the position of the satellite at a specified point in time. The satellite is configured to receive and forward the sensor data. The method includes calculating a coverage duration using path parameters of the satellite and the position of the sensor, activating the transmission unit of the sensor during a transmission duration based on the calculated coverage duration, and transmitting the sensor data from the sensor to the satellite during the transmission duration.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automated method for providing local computing capacity for at least one local computing unit (1.1) for a less required computing task (3) of a demander, wherein the local computing unit (1.1) is used at least partially for controlling a local power generation unit (5.2), wherein the local computing unit (1.1) is provided as part of a local Edge Cloud (1), wherein the electrical energy generated by the local power generation unit (5.2) is used for supplying power to the Edge Cloud (1), and wherein the local computing capacity is provided to the demander by the Edge Cloud (1) in the event of an over-production of power. The invention also relates to an associated device for providing local computing capacity of at least one local computing unit (101) for a less required computing task (3) of a demander.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include an automated method for providing functionalities of a mobile unit for carrying out a function of a request unit required separately from the mobile unit. The method may include: providing the required function in the mobile unit; and carrying out the function based on a context. A context rule system is provided in the mobile unit for carrying out the function. The function is carried out in the mobile unit only if one or more rules of the context rule system are satisfied.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for transmitting sensor data from multiple sensors to a satellite. In a first phase, which is designated as a registration phase, the satellite registers the sensors in question and allocates each sensor a time window for transmitting the respective sensor data, and in a second phase, which is designated as a transmission phase, the satellite requests the sensor data in the individual sensors in a controlled manner, e.g., according to a list generated by the satellite during the registration phase. Thus, it is possible for satellites to access a ground-based sensor system in an optimized and self-learning manner. The disclosure additionally relates to a satellite suitable for carrying out the aforementioned method.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to providing virtual network functions to a customer node by a communication system with a provider node in an automatic, traceable, and auditable way. The provider node includes a retrieving module, a validation module, and a deployment module. The retrieving module is configured to retrieve a notification signal, wherein the notification signal is indicative of a selected one of a plurality of virtual network functions and the customer node. The validation module is configured to establish service level agreement data and to validate the agreement service level data, based on the notification signal. The deployment module is configured to selectively transmit a deployment signal to a communication node depending on the validation of the service level agreement data for providing the selected virtual network function to the customer node.

Abstract: A method for onboarding a device in a multi-tenant virtual network of an industrial network is provided. The method includes: receiving an onboarding request of the device relating to an access to the multi-tenant virtual network of the industrial network; identifying and checking the device using an authentication module of the industrial network; transmitting a configuration file to the device in the event of a positive result of the check; configuring the device according to the configuration file received by the device; checking the access authorization of the configured device at an access point of the industrial network; and, in the event of a positive result of the check, granting the device access to the multi-tenant virtual network. An industrial network configured to carry out the aforementioned method is also provided.

Abstract: Various embodiments include an apparatus for operating a software-defined network having a number of network elements comprising: a memory unit storing an image of the software-defined network; a control unit programmed to use the stored image as a basis for controlling forwarding of data streams by the number of network elements; and a comparison unit programmed to compare the stored image against a network image published in a ledger of a blockchain.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for transmitting sensor data from multiple sensors to a satellite. In a first phase, which is designated as a registration phase, the satellite registers the sensors in question and allocates each sensor a time window for transmitting the respective sensor data, and in a second phase, which is designated as a transmission phase, the satellite requests the sensor data in the individual sensors in a controlled manner, e.g., according to a list generated by the satellite during the registration phase. Thus, it is possible for satellites to access a ground-based sensor system in an optimized and self-learning manner. The disclosure additionally relates to a satellite suitable for carrying out the aforementioned method.

Abstract: According to various examples, an operational constraint associated with an operational function—e.g., a virtual network function—implemented on a field device can be configured. According to further examples, the fulfillment of the operational constraint can be tracked. For these purposes, a distributed database is used, e.g., a blockchain.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods for a communication between a sensor and a satellite, and sensors for carrying out such a method. The sensor has a transmission unit for transmitting sensor data from the sensor to the satellite and a computing unit for calculating the position of the satellite at a specified point in time. The satellite is configured to receive and forward the sensor data. The method includes calculating a coverage duration using path parameters of the satellite and the position of the sensor, activating the transmission unit of the sensor during a transmission duration based on the calculated coverage duration, and transmitting the sensor data from the sensor to the satellite during the transmission duration.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for allocating at least one digital resource of a local, modular computer network. The computer network has at least two computing modules. Each of the computing modules is assigned a resource value for a digital resource. In accordance with a resource request having a demand value, at least one of the digital resources is allocated to the request. The demand value is compared with at least one of the resource values. The method acts and the associated algorithms may be stored in particular in an image file. Because of the high flexibility of the method, mobile computing modules, etc., may also be integrated into the local, modular computer network. The computer network thus exhibits the modular and flexible character of the computer network. The computer network is not configured as a fixed structure, but rather may also dynamically expand and contract.

Abstract: A radio communication system for an industrial automation system includes at least one first communication device operated as a radio base station, and several second radio communication devices operated as radio subscriber stations, wherein the first communication device is arranged or movable on a vehicle, where the first communication device and the second communication devices can be assigned to a group of communication devices and can only be connected to one another in a wireless manner within the same group of communication devices, where the first communication device and the second communication devices detect within their assigned communication device group distances between the first communication device and the respective second communication device, on the basis of signal strength measurement values or position data and where, depending on the detected distances, the first communication device allocates radio resources for a radio communication with the respective second communication device.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to providing virtual network functions to a customer node by a communication system with a provider node in an automatic, traceable, and auditable way. The provider node includes a retrieving module, a validation module, and a deployment module. The retrieving module is configured to retrieve a notification signal, wherein the notification signal is indicative of a selected one of a plurality of virtual network functions and the customer node. The validation module is configured to establish service level agreement data and to validate the agreement service level data, based on the notification signal. The deployment module is configured to selectively transmit a deployment signal to a communication node depending on the validation of the service level agreement data for providing the selected virtual network function to the customer node.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a control device for setting up and/or providing a working environment with at least one performance unit to perform at least one factory task by means of machines comprising: a resource management unit programmed to request resources necessary for the working environment; and a comparison unit programmed to compare the requested resources with at least one resource agreed upon in a binding agreement stored in a distributed database and to approve the requested resource in dependence on the comparison result. The control device is programmed to set up and/or provide the working environment with at least one compared and approved resource. The at least one performance unit is programmed to coordinate the checking for complete factory task performance by one or more units involved in the working environment.

Abstract: Various embodiments include an apparatus for operating a software-defined network having a number of network elements comprising: a memory unit storing an image of the software-defined network; a control unit programmed to use the stored image as a basis for controlling forwarding of data streams by the number of network elements; and a comparison unit programmed to compare the stored image against a network image published in a ledger of a blockchain.