Abstract: The invention relates to a method in which an information model having state graphs for the individual skills and general machine behaviour or error cases is created for the user in an automated manner. This drastically reduces the engineering effort for the subsequent implementation of skill interfaces and in many cases would make an economically viable implementation possible in the first place.

Abstract: Software systems of a plurality of components often require said components to be configured so that said components can perform their task in an optimal manner for a particular application. A software system which consists of a plurality of components is configured. To this end, two different alternatives are provided: a) mode 1, i.e., with offensive training, for quickly learning new situations: the range of values and the step size of the parameters are restricted to such an extent that only non-critical changes are possible with one action. Alternatively, b) mode 2 is used, I.e., defensive training, with continuous learning: the range of values and the step size of the parameters are restricted so that the changes do not significantly worsen the target variables; the Epsilon-Greedy values is set to a lower value.

Abstract: A method, device for identifying causes of faults in automated systems and an automated system which forms the device for identifying causes of faults in automated systems, wherein within a digital twin of the automated system, at least one element of the digital twin is assumed to be faulty and then simulated using the digital twin until a fault time, and where at least one faulty element of the automated system is identified as the cause of a fault based on the at least one element assumed to be faulty.

Abstract: A method, device for identifying causes of faults in automated systems and an automated system which forms the device for identifying causes of faults in automated systems, wherein within a digital twin of the automated system, at least one element of the digital twin is assumed to be faulty and then simulated using the digital twin until a fault time, and where at least one faulty element of the automated system is identified as the cause of a fault based on the at least one element assumed to be faulty.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining differences between an automated installation and a digital twin of the automated installation and to an automated installation that includes the apparatus, wherein a sensor unit is fastened to a process material and passes through an automated installation together with the process material where, during this process, the sensor unit continuously records at least one measurement variable, a temporal profile of the recorded measurement variable is compared with a temporal profile of a corresponding simulated measurement variable and if there is a difference between the temporal profiles, then the location in the automated installation at which the difference is present is identified.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining differences between an automated installation and a digital twin of the automated installation and to an automated installation that includes the apparatus, wherein a sensor unit is fastened to a process material and passes through an automated installation together with the process material where, during this process, the sensor unit continuously records at least one measurement variable, a temporal profile of the recorded measurement variable is compared with a temporal profile of a corresponding simulated measurement variable and if there is a difference between the temporal profiles, then the location in the automated installation at which the difference is present is identified.

Abstract: A device for controlling an operating state of at least one component of a production plant, including an energy control unit for providing a state change signal for changing the operating state of the at least one component from a first operating state to a second operating state, wherein the device includes a monitoring unit which is designed to receive the state change signal of the energy control unit, and to provide the state change signal of the energy control unit for changing the first operating state to the second operating state, and to modify the state change signal of the energy control unit for providing the second operating state, and to block the state change signal of the energy control unit for preventing a change of state into the second operating state.

Abstract: In a method for generating a switching sequence in an industrial plant which includes components for transferring the plant to an energy-saving state, a state model of the plant is used with regard to the components and information about a task-specific action schema with regard to the components. An extended state model is determined by supplementing the state model with the task-specific action schema using circuit-relevant variables. The switching sequence is generated from a start state to a desired target state by calculating proceeding from the target state back to the start state in the extended state model, and the switching sequence is executed.

Abstract: A method for energy-efficient control of an installation comprises providing a plurality of components, wherein at least one of the plurality of components is able to adopt at least a first, high-energy active state and a second, low-energy standby state. Individual components in the active state have logical dependencies among one another. The method also includes ascertaining for at least one of the plurality of components to store component-specific time information and non-component-specific time information based on the logical dependency with respect to at least one other component.

Abstract: A method of reducing power consumption by components of an automated plant during a production stoppage. Control apparatus transmits stoppage time data to the plant components via a data network to initiate the stoppage. Each automated plant component automatically changes to a respective given target state at a respective given stoppage time if the stoppage time data received by that plant component includes that stoppage time for that target state and if at least one other plant component is in a respective operating state expected for this target state. The invention sets a coordinated combination of consumption-minimized plant-component states. The control apparatus transmits respective component-specific stoppage times to the plant components in the stoppage time data, said stoppage time being different from at least one stoppage time transmitted to another plant component. As a result, the component states can be matched to one another.

Abstract: A device for controlling an operating state of at least one component of a production plant, including an energy control unit for providing a state change signal for changing the operating state of the at least one component from a first operating state to a second operating state, wherein the device includes a monitoring unit which is designed to receive the state change signal of the energy control unit, and to provide the state change signal of the energy control unit for changing the first operating state to the second operating state, and to modify the state change signal of the energy control unit for providing the second operating state, and to block the state change signal of the energy control unit for preventing a change of state into the second operating state.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electric machine or electric unit by actuating a component of the electric machine or unit using a predicate and by automatically examining the component in regard to the performance of the predicate to permit examination of an automated system for possible errors in a simply manner, wherein the predicate contains an expected value of a (physical) quantity of the component, and wherein in the examination of the component, a check is performed to determine whether the expected value actually arises when the predicate is performed such that erroneous situations can be detected by a runtime system without explicit programming being necessary therefor.

Abstract: A method of reducing power consumption by components of an automated plant during a production stoppage. Control apparatus transmits stoppage time data to the plant components via a data network to initiate the stoppage. Each automated plant component automatically changes to a respective given target state at a respective given stoppage time if the stoppage time data received by that plant component includes that stoppage time for that target state and if at least one other plant component is in a respective operating state expected for this target state. The invention sets a coordinated combination of consumption-minimized plant-component states. The control apparatus transmits respective component-specific stoppage times to the plant components in the stoppage time data, said stoppage time being different from at least one stoppage time transmitted to another plant component. As a result, the component states can be matched to one another.

Abstract: A method for interchanging data between two devices in a network which utilizes a communication protocol with an interface based on an Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control Unified Architecture (OPC-UA) standard to interchange the data, wherein the communication protocol includes a priority allocation function which can allocate to the data at least two different priority values, and the data are interchanged based on the allocated priority values, such that the data interchangeable between the two devices in a predetermined period of time with a prescribed probability.

Abstract: A method for energy-efficient control of an installation comprises providing a plurality of components, wherein at least one of the plurality of components is able to adopt at least a first, high-energy active state and a second, low-energy standby state. Individual components in the active state have logical dependencies among one another. The method also includes ascertaining for at least one of the plurality of components to store component-specific time information and non-component-specific time information based on the logical dependency with respect to at least one other component.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electric machine or electric unit by actuating a component of the electric machine or unit using a predicate and by automatically examining the component in regard to the performance of the predicate to permit examination of an automated system for possible errors in a simply manner, wherein the predicate contains an expected value of a (physical) quantity of the component, and wherein in the examination of the component, a check is performed to determine whether the expected value actually arises when the predicate is performed such that erroneous situations can be detected by a runtime system without explicit programming being necessary therefor.

Abstract: A method for interchanging data between two devices in a network which utilizes a communication protocol with an interface based on the OPC-UA standard to interchange the data, wherein the communication protocol includes a priority allocation function which can allocate to the data at least two different priority values, and the data are interchanged based on the allocated priority values, such that the data interchangeable between the two devices in a predetermined period of time with a prescribed probability.

Abstract: A method for interchanging data between two devices in a network which utilizes a communication protocol with an interface based on the OPC-UA standard to interchange the data, wherein the communication protocol comprises an interface based on the stream reservation protocol standard or an interface based on the multiple stream registration protocol standard in accordance with IEEE standard 802.1Qat, such that the data is interchangeable between the two devices using both interfaces in a prescribed period of time.