Abstract: A computer implemented method generates a Petri Net simulation model of an industrial controls system. The method includes providing a basic Petri Net system model employing a generic component model. The system model has at least two component places for generating parameterisation tokens, at least two family places for generating component instantiation tokens, and an architecture place for generating family instantiation tokens for the family place in response to an initial token. The method further includes providing a component family library including component family data, providing a component parameter list including component parameter data for each individual component of the Industrial Control System. Furthermore, the method includes assigning a unique identifier to each component of the component parameter list, assigning each component present in the component parameter list to one component family, and instantiating the basic Petri Net model by processing the component parameter list.

Abstract: A computer implemented method generates a Petri Net simulation model of an industrial controls system. The method includes providing a basic Petri Net system model employing a generic component model. The system model has at least two component places for generating parameterisation tokens, at least two family places for generating component instantiation tokens, and an architecture place for generating family instantiation tokens for the family place in response to an initial token. The method further includes providing a component family library including component family data, providing a component parameter list including component parameter data for each individual component of the Industrial Control System. Furthermore, the method includes assigning a unique identifier to each component of the component parameter list, assigning each component present in the component parameter list to one component family, and instantiating the basic Petri Net model by processing the component parameter list.

Abstract: A method and system for transferring a plurality of messages in an Ethernet industrial control environment. The messages are tagged with identifiers of varying levels of priority. The system has a serial network bus. Clock synchronization messages generated by a master device are tagged with a higher priority identifier, while other message types are tagged with a lesser priority identifier. Data having the highest priority identifier is placed onto the bus before placing data with a lesser priority identifier onto the bus.

Abstract: A method and system for transferring a plurality of messages in an Ethernet industrial control environment. The messages are tagged with identifiers of varying levels of priority. The system has a serial network bus. Clock synchronization messages generated by a master device are tagged with a higher priority identifier, while other message types are tagged with a lesser priority identifier. Data having the highest priority identifier is placed onto the bus before placing data with a lesser priority identifier onto the bus.

Abstract: A method for constructing a bandwidth configuration to facilitate communication among a plurality of operably connected devices on an Ethernet network. Each network device having communication capabilities including a CPU for processing one or more communication services. Communication services are derived from an application requirement to be executed throughout the network. The communication services to be processed by each device are identified. A share of CPU capacity required for processing the communication services is identified and apportioned among all the communication services in accordance with the application requirement.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of configuring an automation module (10) on a TCP/IP network (5) comprising an assignment step (A) to assign a application name (40) that is unique on the TCP/IP network, memorized in the storage means (15) of the automation module, an addressing step (B) in which the automation module sends a request address query (17) containing its application name and conform with the DHCP protocol to a DHCP server (23), a configuration step (C) in which the automation module sends a read configuration query (18) to an FTP/TFTP server (24, 34) conform with the FTP or TFTP protocol The DHCP server and the FTP/TFTP server are installed in one or several items of automation equipment (20, 30) connected to the TCP/IP network. The invention also relates to an automation assembly capable of using such a configuration method.