Automation Component and Method of Operating the Same Based on an Enhanced Information Model

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This patent describes an automation component and method for enabling enhanced interoperability and automated semantic understanding between diverse automation systems or devices, such as industrial machines or controllers. By introducing a superordinate (higher-level) information model that integrates component-specific models and external domain knowledge (such as from technical standards), the invention allows different components, potentially from various manufacturers and using different standards, to automatically understand, interpret, and exchange information. This is achieved through the use of ontologies, semantic networks, and automated reasoning, enabling dynamic adaptation, knowledge inference, and reduced manual engineering.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Industrial automation plants integrating machines or devices from different vendors or legacy systems needing seamless interoperability.
• Plug-and-produce manufacturing environments where automation components are frequently reconfigured or swapped.
• Robotics applications requiring autonomous interaction between different robots or control systems.
• Production lines with equipment using different communication or information modeling standards (e.g., OPC UA, PackML, Weihenstephaner).
• Smart factories needing to adapt and automate knowledge exchange without manual reprogramming during upgrades or expansions.
• Cross-platform industrial IoT systems combining edge, cloud, and on-premises automation devices.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables true semantic interoperability between automation components, even from different manufacturers or using different standards.
• Reduces manual engineering and configuration effort when integrating or updating automation components.
• Facilitates dynamic, automated adaptation and knowledge inference at runtime, allowing systems to evolve flexibly and autonomously.
• Improves efficiency by minimizing the need for centralized communication and processing; questions can be answered locally.
• Allows for automated integration of new standards or updates by importing domain knowledge dynamically.
• Supports advanced analytics, reasoning, and decision-making directly within automation components, leading to smarter and more autonomous industrial systems.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

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Patent Abstract

A first automation component (200a), the first automation component (200a)comprising: an information model (202a) of the first automation component (202a) and at least a part (203a) of a superordinated information model (402), e.g. a local information model derived from the superordinated information model (402),wherein the superordinated information (402) model is based on the information model (202a) of the first automation component (200a) and on an information model (403) comprising external knowledge associated with the first automation component (200) and/or an information model (202b) of at least one other automation component (200b), and wherein the first automation component (200a) is operable based on the information model (202a) of the first automation component (200a) and at least the part (203a) of the superordinated information model (402).