Abstract: The invention relates to an automation network and to automation equipment, network components and field devices for an automation network of this type. The network components transmit messages concerning their status to the automation equipment by means of a communication mechanism that functions according to field communication automation technology. Said automation equipment receives the status messages, evaluates them, monitors the operation of the network and controls said operation using the status messages. As the automation equipment thus contains the complete picture of the process and the network, it can react directly and rapidly to problems of the network. This eliminates the need, for example, for an additional SNMP/OPC server or a network management station.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying an order of users of a network, whereby the network contains a multitude of nodes and each of the nodes has a number of connections by which the nodes and the users can be interconnected. Disclosed embodiments of the method include: a) identifying the node connected to one of the users; b) determining the number of connections of this node and a predetermined hierarchy of the connections; c) determining, for these nodes, the connection with which the user is connected to this node and; d) determining, for the nodes, other connections that are connected to other nodes or to other users; e) establishing a relationship between users of the network based on the hierarchy of the connections that is predefined for node and on the determined connections that are connected to users or to other nodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating a system for providing diagnosis information, and to a corresponding system. The aim of the invention is to simplify the provision of information for diagnosing technical installations or technical processes. To this end, components pertaining to an automation system and having diagnosis interfaces for providing diagnosis information for diagnosing the respective components are collected in at least one group, and the diagnosis information of the respective group is provided by combining the diagnosis information of the components collected in the respective group.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automation network and to automation equipment, network components and field devices for an automation network of this type. The network components transmit messages concerning their status to the automation equipment by means of a communication mechanism that functions according to field communication automation technology. Said automation equipment receives the status messages, evaluates them, monitors the operation of the network and controls said operation using the status messages. As the automation equipment thus contains the complete picture of the process and the network, it can react directly and rapidly to problems of the network. This eliminates the need, for example, for an additional SNMP/OPC server or a network management station.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a description of a component of an automation system comprises describing the component as a plurality of inputs and outputs, generating a vendor-independent component description file based on a description of the component as the plurality of inputs and outputs, updating the vendor-independent component description file to include vendor-specific hardware information and hardware control logic, and creating the component based on an updated vendor-specific component description.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying an order of users of a network, whereby the network contains a multitude of nodes and each of the nodes has a number of connections by means of which the nodes and the users can be interconnected. The inventive method comprises the following steps: a) identifying the node connected to one of the users; b) determining the number of connections of this node and a predetermined hierarchy of the connections; c) determining, for these nodes, the connection with which the user is connected to this node and; d) determining, for the nodes, other connections that are connected to other nodes or to other users; e) establishing a relationship between users of the network based on the hierarchy of the connections that is predefined for node and on the determined connections that are connected to users or to other nodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating a system for providing diagnosis information, and to a corresponding system. The aim of the invention is to simplify the provision of information for diagnosing technical installations or technical processes. To this end, components pertaining to an automation system and having diagnosis interfaces for providing diagnosis information for diagnosing the respective components are collected in at least one group, and the diagnosis information of the respective group is provided by combining the diagnosis information of the components collected in the respective group.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a description of a component of an automation system comprises describing the component as a plurality of inputs and outputs, generating a vendor-independent component description file based on a description of the component as the plurality of inputs and outputs, updating the vendor-independent component description file to include vendor-specific hardware information and hardware control logic, and creating the component based on an updated vendor-specific component description.