Capability Analysis of a Component within an Industrial Automation System

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention relates to a method and system for automatically analyzing the capabilities (or 'skills') of components within an industrial automation system. It uses knowledge graphs to semantically describe and compare the functional abilities of various components (like machines and robots), identifies new or existing skills, checks for consistency, and helps detect errors or mismatches. The process involves transforming component data into a standardized ontology, matching them against defined templates, and generating similarity scores, which can then guide integration or error resolution—often without human intervention.

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

• Automated integration of new machinery or components into existing industrial automation systems.
• Continuous or periodic diagnostic checks for skill consistency, updates, or errors during system operation.
• Supporting system upgrades or reconfigurations by verifying that the skills of components align with production requirements.
• Real-time monitoring and analysis of automation systems to identify and resolve skill mismatches or inconsistencies.
• Facilitating the orchestration and optimal allocation of production tasks based on component capabilities in manufacturing or process industries.
• Generating human-readable diagnostics for maintenance or engineering personnel to quickly pinpoint capability mismatches.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Reduces manual effort and the need for experts when integrating, updating, or diagnosing automation systems.
• Quickly identifies mismatches, errors, or inconsistencies in skill descriptions, reducing commissioning and maintenance time.
• Enhances system flexibility, enabling faster and more reliable integration of heterogeneous components.
• Supports continuous system validation and adaptation without production downtime.
• Automates detection and correction of errors, even in the presence of incomplete or inconsistent documentation.
• Improves transparency and traceability of component capabilities through standardized and semantically rich descriptions.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zur Fähigkeitsanalyse einer Komponente innerhalb einer industriellen Automatisierungsanlage sowie ein zugehöriges Computerprogrammprodukt und eine zugehörige Analysevorrichtung. Dabei wird in einem ersten Abgleich ein Vergleichs-Knowledge-Graph aus einem Informationsmodell mit einem Vorlage-Knowledge-Graph verglichen zum Identifizieren von potentiellen Fähigkeitsinstanzen und in einem zweiten Abgleich mindestens eine der erkannten potentiellen Fähigkeitsinstanzen mit mindestens einem zu der Automatisierungsanlage zugehörigen Fähigkeits-Knowledge-Graphen verglichen zum Ermitteln einer Fähigkeitsübereinstimmung in Abhängigkeit von einem ermittelten zweiten Übereinstimmungsgrad.