Automation Device, Computer Program, Computer-Readable Medium and Method for Automatically Configuring an Automation Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022137605-A1
Application number	US-202017434544-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 3, 2020
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	May 5, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Automation device, computer program, computer-readable medium and method for automatically configuring an automation device, wherein a) an automation device is provided, b) a device management unit monitors whether an automation identifier is assigned to the automation device, c) upon identifying an assignment of this kind, the device management unit queries a central cluster management unit to determine whether a description object, in which the automation identifier assigned to the automation device is stored, already exists in a cluster state database belonging to the cluster containing description objects for nodes of the cluster, d) if no such description object yet exists, or if such a description object does exist but has been declared inactive, then the device management unit creates, in the cluster state database for a node identifier assigned to the automation device, a description object in which the automation identifier assigned to the automation device is stored.

First claim

1 .- 16 . (canceled)

17 . A method for automatically configuring an industrial automation device, the method comprising:
a) providing an automation device which is suitable for functioning as a node of a cluster and for executing at least one automation task is provided, b) monitoring, by a device management unit, whether an automation identifier is allocated to the automation device; c) querying, by the device management unit, upon identifying such an allocation, a central cluster management unit to determine whether a description object already exists in a cluster state database associated with the cluster and containing description objects for nodes of the cluster, said description object storing the automation identifier allocated to the automation device; d) considering the description object as a description object of the automation device in an event such a description object already exists for a node identifier allocated to the automation device; and e) generating, by the device management unit, a description object in the cluster state database for the node identifier allocated to the automation device in the event that such a description object exists for a node identifier other than the description object allocated to the automation device and is declared as inactive and in the event that no such description object yet exists, said description object one of (i) storing the automation identifier allocated to the automation device, (ii) storing the automation identifier allocated to the automation device in a description object which already exists for a node identifier allocated to the automation device in the cluster state database and (iii) initiating the storage or the generation.

18 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein at least one automation function is allocated to the automation device with recourse to the description object which was one of (i) considered to be the description object of the automation device during said considering the description object, (ii) which was generated during said considering the description object and (iii) in which the automation identifier was stored during said considering the description object.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein at least one containerized automation function is allocated to the automation device with recourse to the description object.

20 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein, in the event that the query about whether the description object already exists in the cluster state database associated with the cluster, this description object storing the automation identifier allocated to the automation device, reveals that this is the case and this description object is declared as active, the device management unit does not generate any description object storing the automation identifier allocated to the automation device in the cluster state database for a node identifier allocated to the automation device, and also does not store the automation identifier allocated to the automation device in a description object which already exists for a node identifier allocated to the automation device in the cluster state database and also does not initiate the storage or the generation.

21 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the automation device is allocated a further automation identifier, and the device management unit, after identifying the allocation of the further automation identifier, contacts the central cluster management unit and prompts erasure of the description object storing the previous automation identified.

22 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the device management unit ( 8 ) at least one of (i) locally determines a node identifier allocated to the automation device, and (ii) during said considering the description object addresses the description object which already exists for the node identifier allocated to the automation device, the description object to be generated or the existing description object in which the automation identifier is to be stored via a node identifier allocated to the automation device.

23 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the automation identifier is stored in the description object in as a label or as part of the label.

24 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the automation identifier is at least one of (i) allocated to the automation device by a further automation device, (ii) allocated to the automation device utilizing a self-baptism method and (iii) allocated to the automation device utilizing a setup tool.

25 . The method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the further automation device comprises a controller.

26 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein at least one of (i) a partially or fully qualified domain name is allocated to the automation device as automation identifier, (ii) a node identifier is allocated to the automation device by the central cluster management unit and (iii) a node ID is allocated to the automation device as the node identifier.

27 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein during said query one of (i) the initial allocation of an automation identifier is identified and (ii) an allocation of a new automation identifier previously allocated to the automation device and different from an old automation identifier is identified.

28 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein during said providing the automation device is provided as a new device and the automation device is incorporated into the cluster during an on-boarding process, and a node identifier is assigned to the automation device in the course of the on-boarding process, or the node identifier is assigned subsequently.

29 . The method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein said automation device is incorporated into the cluster during an on-boarding process by the central cluster management unit.

30 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein during said query a request is made to the central cluster management unit which is responsible for distributing workloads among the nodes of the cluster.

31 . An automation device configured to be allocated a node identifier, said automation device comprising:
a device management unit configured to monitor whether an automation identifier is allocated to the automation device and, in an event that the allocation thereof is identified, to query a central cluster management unit to determine whether a description object comprising the automation identifier allocated when considering a description object as a description object of the automation device already exists in a cluster state database associated with the cluster in which the device participates or is intended to participate as node and containing description objects for nodes of the cluster, possibly for a node identifier other than the one allocated to the automation device, and in an event that no such description object yet exists or in an event that such a description object exists but is declared as inactive, to generate a description object comprising the automation identifier for a node identifier allocated to the automation device in the cluster state database or to store the automation identifier in a description object that already exists for a node identifier allocated to the automation device in the database.

32 . The automation device as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the automation device is configured to be allocated at least one containerized automation function with recourse to a description object stored in a cluster state database associated with the cluster in which the device participates or

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Albrecht Harald
• Höme Stephan
• Talanis Thomas

Classifications

• H04L41/0893

  Assignment of logical groups to network elements · CPC title

• G05B2219/31334

  Database with devices, configuration, of plant · CPC title

• G05B2219/25061

  Configuration stored in central database · CPC title

• G05B2219/23255

  Object oriented programming, OOP · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title