DE102017200103A1 - Apparatus and method for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and method for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation and an associated device and arrangement. The core of the invention is an arrangement comprising a device (SG) for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation and a device (IG) for providing a runtime environment for the device (SG). By optimizing the input and / or output signal values by means of at least one optimization object (ROI-1,..., ROI-n), which was found to be suitable for optimization on a web server server and provided by outputting at least one optimization result value (FIG. W) can produce an optimized signal behavior of the at least one component of the technical system. The optimization value is checked by means of optimization configuration data (K) as to whether it can be used for optimization. In order to be able to access the values of the input or output variables for executing the optimization objects, a virtual address space is used from which reusable addresses (logical addresses) emerge, via which paths absolute addresses in the form of physical addresses of a programmable logic controller (PLC ) can be assigned.

Description

The invention relates to a device and method for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical system and an associated device and arrangement.

The invention is particularly in the field of optimization of industrial or technical equipment. A domain includes plant types of a similar nature and basic technology. Examples of domains with different but similar plant types are production plants, energy generating plants or power plants, gas or steam turbines, rolling mills, paper mills, bottling plants and water treatment plants. However, it is also the optimization of systems such as trains, cars and ships conceivable.

There are also controller optimizations for engine, generator, cooling water, etc. (also depending on the location); Temperature optimization e.g. the cabin temperature in passenger ships depending on the application, optimization after modernization of e.g. Drive, cooling, etc., Optimization of service water generation depending on the starting product, optimization of wastewater treatment, optimization of the exhaust treatment depending on the application and / or fuel, optimization of the driving profile depending on place and / or climate and optimization of cooling water cooling depending on place of use and / or climate conceivable. As a place of use in connection with passenger ships, e.g. the use of a ferry in the Baltic Sea or the North Sea; Use of a passenger ship in the North Sea, Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Caribbean, etc. possible. The mentioned optimizations can be applied to other areas of application such as trains, cars, etc. In general, optimizations may relate, for example, to emissions, energy consumption, throughput, reliability, downtime, load and expenses.

The engineering or the design of an industrial plant usually takes place on the basis of suitable tools and methods. These computer-assisted tools and methods usually refer to descriptions and data for the creation, optimization or modernization of industrial plants, whereby the design, planning and implementation of measures for the establishment or modification of such a system is combined into one project.

So-called engineering data for the design or reorganization of industrial plants, for example, requirements respectively. with regard to issue and standards to be complied with, measures to implement these requirements, as well as data on project managers. Such a project may further include, for example, modules or plant components, which may again be hierarchically arranged in submodules. The engineering data serve for example for the specification of modules and can be addressed on the basis of the terms of a taxonomy or ontology. Ontology is often understood to mean a (formal) ordered representation of a set of concepts and their relationships between them in a specific subject area (a taxonomy can be considered a special case of an ontology). The subject area may be a project or a specific industrial plant.

(Plant) objects are often program or software and / or firmware and / or hardware engineering implementation blocks that can control, for example, a material flow or processes when opening and closing a car or train door. As a rule, a plant object has many properties and / or functions of a procedural nature that assume project-specific or plant-specific characteristics. Examples are the signal flow (e.g., circuit diagram), material flow (e.g., piping design), time order, etc.

In this context is in DE 102016214666.1 already a method and an apparatus for designing a technical system have been proposed. Engineering tasks can thus be automated with the help of so-called automation objects, also called EAO. While EAOs automate workflows, they do not require pre-defined flow definitions or processes. This is achieved by calling the available EAOs once or repeatedly cyclically or at regular intervals using a scheduler. Depending on the application, the engineering tasks carried out by the EAOs are automatically processed once or cyclically recurring and the engineering data concerned is generated or kept up-to-date. All EAOs have a uniform structure.

Industrial plants have a term of up to thirty years and more. Over time, not least in the construction of new facilities and the optimization of existing facilities, always new approaches for the general improvement of the behavior of plants of a certain type arise. This almost inevitably results in the desire to apply the new optimization approaches to plants already in operation. So far, it has been a great challenge to adapt and improve a once commissioned system, even if a software update or even the replacement / replacement of hardware or firmware or software modules to a improved and possibly accelerated plant behavior. A plant behavior or the behavior of a plant component can be understood as a functional property of a dynamic system, in particular of the plant, according to their internal structures or properties to assume different states due to internal and / or external influences.

Due to economic efforts and difficult to predict consequential problems, such adjustments or improvements are often avoided. If improvement measures are carried out, this is usually associated with a complex so-called reengineering, taking into account the risk of error and the cost / benefit ratio of such an improvement.

It is an object of the invention to overcome or reduce these problems.

This object is solved by the independent claims. Advantageous developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

In summary, the core of the invention is an arrangement comprising a device for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation and a device for providing a runtime environment for the device by optimizing the input and / or output signal values by means of at least one optimization object (ROI-1 , ..., ROI-n), which was found to be suitable for optimization on a web server server, and by outputting at least one optimization result value, can produce optimized signal behavior of the at least one component of the technical system. The optimization value is checked by means of optimization configuration data as to whether it can be used for optimization. In order to be able to access the values of the input or output variables for executing the optimization objects, a virtual address space is used, from which paths reusable addresses (logical addresses) emerge, to which absolute addresses in the form of physical addresses of a programmable logic controller are assigned can.

The individual devices according to the invention, methods and associated apparatus and computer program (product) as well as the arrangement are claimed:

• - zumindest eine erste Schnittstelle zur Kopplung des Geräts mit einer speicherprogrammierbaren Steuerungseinheit, welche das Verhalten der Komponenten steuern kann,
• - wobei die erste Schnittstelle Mittel zum Einlesen von Werten zu wenigstens einer vorgebbaren Eingangsvariable umfasst, auf welche mit Hilfe eines domänenspezifischen virtuellen Adressierungsschemas durch Zuordnung jeweils einer logischen Adresse des virtuellen Adressierungsschemas zu einer Absolutadresse der jeweiligen Eingangsvariable innerhalb der speicherprogrammierbaren Steuereinheit zugriffen werden kann,
• - wobei die Werte der wenigstens einen Eingangsvariable Eingangs- und/oder Ausgangssignalwerten von durch die speicherprogrammierbaren Steuereinheit steuerbarer Komponenten der technischen Anlage entsprechen,
• - Mittel zum Bereitstellen von Optimierungskonfigurationsdaten, welche die zur Optimierung verwendbaren Eingänge und/oder die anhand von zumindest einem Optimierungsergebniswert anpassbaren Ausgänge von Komponenten festlegen sowie Informationen umfassen, unter welchen Voraussetzungen Ausgangssignalwerte an den genannten Ausgängen eine Optimierung darstellen und/oder welche Wertebereiche der Eingangs- und Ausgangssignalwerte zulässig sind,
• - zumindest eine zweite Schnittstelle zur Kopplung des Geräts mit einer Verarbeitungseinheit, die Mittel zum Ausführen eines oder mehrerer, aus einer Menge bereitgestellter Optimierungsobjekte bestimmbarer Optimierungsobjekte (ROI-1; ROI-n)) anhand der Optimierungskonfigurationsdaten und/oder anhand der Werte zu den eingelesenen Eingangsvariablen umfassen, wobei die Optimierungsobjekte eine Optimierung unter Nutzung der Werte der eingelesenen Eingangsvariablen durchführen und zumindest einen Optimierungswert zurückliefern können und
• - Mittel zum Ausgeben der originären Werte der eingelesenen Eingangsvariablen an die speicherprogrammierbare Steuerungseinheit und/oder Mittel zum Ausgeben des zumindest einen Optimierungsergebniswertes zur Anpassung eines oder mehrerer Ausgänge von Komponenten an den zumindest einen Optimierungsergebniswert abhängig vom Ergebnis einer Geräte-seitigen Überprüfung des zumindest einen Optimierungsergebniswertes mit aus den Optimierungskonfigurationsdaten ableitbaren, genannten Informationen umfasst.

The invention claims a device for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation, comprising:

• at least a first interface for coupling the device to a programmable logic controller which can control the behavior of the components,
• wherein the first interface comprises means for reading in values to at least one predeterminable input variable which can be accessed within the programmable logic controller by means of a domain-specific virtual addressing scheme by assigning in each case a logical address of the virtual addressing scheme to an absolute address of the respective input variable;
• the values of the at least one input variable corresponding to input and / or output signal values of components of the technical system controllable by the programmable logic controller,
• Means for providing optimization configuration data which define the inputs that can be used for the optimization and / or the outputs of components which can be adapted based on at least one optimization result value and information on which conditions output signal values at the outputs represent an optimization and / or which value ranges of the input signals and output values are allowed,
• at least a second interface for coupling the device to a processing unit, the means for executing one or more optimization objects (ROI-n), which can be determined from a set of provided optimization objects, based on the optimization configuration data and / or on the values for the read-in Input variables include, wherein the optimization objects perform an optimization using the values of the read input variables and can return at least one optimization value, and
• Means for outputting the original values of the read input variables to the programmable logic controller and / or means for outputting the at least one optimization result value for adapting one or more outputs of components to the at least one optimization result value depending on the result of a device-side checking of the at least one optimization result value comprising said information derivable from the optimization configuration data.

The checking can also be done by determining which of the used Optimization objects returned the best optimization result,

All optimization result values accepted as optimization are output as output variables to the programmable logic controller. The output of the original values as output variables takes place if there is no acceptable optimization proposal.

An absolute address is the physical address of any plant data in the runtime environment of the industrial plant (PLC control). On the one hand, the physical address of any plant data is known to the control unit, on the other hand, all physical addresses which are eligible for possible later optimization are stored together with the associated logical addresses in the optimization configuration data (as address pairs).

The optimization configuration data may also contain information on the characteristics of all optimization objects that are eligible for optimization.

The absolute web address of an optimization object (RIOs) can be determined. On a web service server is searched cyclically (at intervals) and automatically for suitable optimization objects.

It is possible to reward the provider whose optimization objects ultimately brought about optimization.
that the values of the predefinable input variables can be accessed at runtime when the particular optimization object is executed.

A development of the invention provides that the components can represent hardware, firmware and / or software units.

A development of the invention provides that such an optimization object is designed by software to produce an optimized signal behavior of the at least one component of the technical system by optimizing the input and / or output signal values and outputting at least one optimization result value.

A development of the invention provides that such an optimization object can perform one or more simulations so that the result of the simulation can comprise a chain or matrix of individual optimization result values that can describe value dependencies between an output signal value and at least one input signal value and / or vice versa ,

A development of the invention provides that such an optimization object is implemented as a usable web service, wherein a runtime environment for executing the optimization object is created on a web service server and thus the coupling with the device by a remote, English also called remote, communication takes place.

A development of the invention provides that from the set of optimization objects provided by a web service server (WEB), suitable optimization objects can be determined by the processing unit, downloaded and stored in the runtime environment of the processing unit for execution.

A development of the invention provides that the means for providing optimization configuration data can be configured in such a way that both an absolute address and a logical address of the domain-specific virtual addressing scheme can be provided for each predefinable input variable.

A further development of the invention provides that after one means for reading in the values for at least one predefinable input variable, it can be configured such that with the aid of the associated domain-specific logical address derivable from the optimization configuration data and the associated absolute address, the values of the at least one Input variable can be accessed.

• - eine Schnittstelle zum Bestimmen und Ausführen einer oder mehrerer Optimierungsobjekte aus einer Menge von bereitgestellten Optimierungsobjekten anhand von Optimierungskonfigurationsdaten und/oder anhand von eingelesenen Eingangsvariablen, wobei das eine oder mehrere Optimierungsobjekte eine Optimierung unter Nutzung der Werte der eingelesenen Eingangsvariablen durchführen und zumindest einen Optimierungswert zurückliefern können,
• - Mittel zum Ausgeben des zumindest einen Optimierungsergebniswertes zu einer Geräte-seitigen Überprüfung des zumindest einen Optimierungsergebniswertes mit aus den Optimierungskonfigurationsdaten ableitbaren, genannten Informationen umfasst.

Another aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for providing a runtime environment for a device of the type mentioned above, comprising:

• an interface for determining and executing one or more optimization objects from a set of provided optimization objects based on optimization configuration data and / or on input variables read in, wherein the one or more optimization objects can perform an optimization using the values of the read input variables and at least return an optimization value .
• - Means for outputting the at least one optimization result value to a device-side review of the at least one optimization result value with derivable from the optimization configuration data, said information includes.

The determination of the optimization object and its execution is repeatable at intervals.

• - ein Gerät nach der oben genannten Art und
• - eine Vorrichtung nach der oben genannten Art.

A further aspect of the invention provides an arrangement for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation, comprising:

• - a device of the type mentioned above and
• - A device of the above type.

• - Kopplung des Geräts mit einer speicherprogrammierbaren Steuerungseinheit,
• - Einlesen von Werten zu vorgebbaren Eingangsvariablen, auf welche mit Hilfe eines domänenspezifischen virtuellen Adressierungsschemas durch Zuordnung jeweils einer virtuellen Adresse des virtuellen Adressierungsschemas zu einer Absolutadresse der jeweiligen Eingangsvariable innerhalb speicherprogrammierbaren Steuereinheit zugriffen wird,
• - wobei die Werte der Eingangsvariablen Eingangs- und/oder Ausgangssignalwerten von durch die speicherprogrammierbaren Steuereinheit steuerbarer Komponenten der technischen Anlage entsprechen,
• - Bereitstellen von Optimierungskonfigurationsdaten, welche die zur Optimierung verwendbaren Eingänge und/oder die anhand von zumindest einem Optimierungsergebniswert anpassbaren Ausgänge von Komponenten festlegen sowie Informationen umfassen, unter welchen Voraussetzungen Ausgangssignalwerte an den genannten Ausgängen eine Optimierung darstellen und/oder welche Wertebereiche der Eingangs- und Ausgangssignalwerte zulässig sind,
• - Bestimmen, Herunterladen und Vorhalten der für eine Optimierung in Frage kommenden Optimierungsobjekte aus der Menge von bereitgestellten Optimierungsobjekte anhand der in den Optimierungskonfigurationsdaten enthaltenen Angaben zu den Merkmalen aller für eine Optimierung in Frage kommenden Objekte,
• - Bereitstellen einer Laufzeitumgebung zum Ausführen der bestimmten und vorgehaltenen Optimierungsobjekte,
• - Ausführen von einem oder mehreren vorgehaltenen Optimierungsobjekten in der Laufzeitumgebung, welche eine Optimierung unter Nutzung der Werte der eingelesenen Eingangsvariablen durchführen und zumindest einen Optimierungswert zurückliefern,
• - Überprüfen des zumindest einen Optimierungsergebniswertes mit aus den Optimierungskonfigurationsdaten ableitbaren, genannten Informationen, sowie Ermittlung, welches der eingesetzten Optimierungsobjekte der besten Optimierungsergebniswerte geliefert hat,
• - Ausgeben der originären Werte der eingelesenen Eingangsvariablen und/oder des zumindest einen Optimierungsergebniswertes als Ausgangsvariablen an die speicherprogrammierbare Steuerungseinheit abhängig von der Überprüfung.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation, comprising the following steps:

• Coupling the device to a programmable logic controller,
• Reading values into predefinable input variables, which are accessed by means of a domain-specific virtual addressing scheme by assigning in each case a virtual address of the virtual addressing scheme to an absolute address of the respective input variable within the programmable logic controller,
• the values of the input variables corresponding to input and / or output signal values of components of the technical system controllable by the programmable logic controller,
• Providing optimization configuration data which define the inputs that can be used for the optimization and / or the outputs of components which can be adapted based on at least one optimization result value and information on which conditions output signal values at the outputs represent an optimization and / or which value ranges of the input and output signal values are permissible,
• Determining, downloading and maintaining the optimization objects eligible for optimization from the set of provided optimization objects based on the characteristics of all optimization-relevant objects contained in the optimization configuration data,
• Providing a runtime environment for executing the determined and held optimization objects,
• Execution of one or more retained optimization objects in the runtime environment, which perform an optimization using the values of the read input variables and return at least one optimization value,
• Checking the at least one optimization result value with information derived from the optimization configuration data, and determining which of the optimization objects used has delivered the best optimization result values,
• Outputting the original values of the read input variables and / or the at least one optimization result value as output variables to the programmable logic controller as a function of the check.

A further development of the invention provides that the determination of the optimization objects which are eligible for optimization and their execution is repeated at time intervals.

A development of the invention provides that the values of the predefinable input variables are accessed at runtime when the specific optimization object is executed.

A development of the invention provides that such an optimization object can perform one or more simulations so that the result of the simulation can comprise a chain or matrix of individual optimization result values describing value dependencies between an output signal value and at least one input signal value and / or vice versa.

A refinement of the invention provides that both the absolute addresses and the logical addresses of the domain-specific virtual addressing scheme of the input variables that are suitable for an optimization and / or plausibility check are provided on the basis of the optimization configuration data.

A further development of the invention provides that such an optimization object has features and capabilities which are described on the basis of the domain-specific virtual addressing scheme and stored together with the respective optimization object and these in conjunction with the optimization configuration data and the values of the read input variables of the determination of the at least one Optimization object from the set of provided optimization objects.

The method can be developed as the devices / devices / arrangements described above.

Another aspect of the invention provides a computer program product having means for performing the method when the computer program product is executed on said controller and / or distributed within the assembly.

The device provides means / units or modules for carrying out the above-mentioned method, which may each be hardware-based and / or firmware-based and / or software-based or computer program product or computer program product.

The devices / devices / arrangements described above may also be further developed according to the method or computer program (product).

• - Sie ermöglicht eine nachträgliche automatische oder quasi automatische Optimierung und die automatisierte sukzessive (kontinuierliche) Verbesserung des Anlagen- bzw. des Systemverhaltens nach Inbetriebnahme der Anlage.
• - Zum Einsatz kommen Optimierungslösungen, die den, bereits bei der Inbetriebnahme ursprünglichen Inbetriebnahme, vorgegebenen Randbedingungen entsprechen.
• - Die zum Einsatz kommenden Optimierungslösungen sind wenig fehleranfällig. Sie sind gut getestete Standardprodukte, die in vielen Anlagen ohne Änderungen oder individuelle Anpassungen eingesetzt werden können.
• - Die Erfindung trägt dazu bei, dass automatisch Verbesserungsobjekte, sogenannte ROIs, identifiziert und ausgeführt werden können, welche das Verhalten der technischen Anlage optimieren können.
• - Die nachträgliche Integration von Problemlösungs- bzw. Optimierungsalgorithmen in eine Anlage erfolgt ohne erneute Tests, Sicherheitsproblemen, Anlagenstillstand oder Inbetriebnahme.
• - Die Architektur und die Sicherheitsmechanismen der Erfindung stellen sicher, dass kein Missbrauch und keine Verschlechterung des Anlageverhaltens eintreten.

The invention has the advantage:

• - It enables a subsequent automatic or quasi-automatic optimization and the automated successive (continuous) improvement of the system or system behavior after commissioning of the system.
• - Optimization solutions are used which correspond to the boundary conditions already specified during commissioning.
• - The optimization solutions used are not prone to error. They are well-tested standard products that can be used in many systems without modification or customization.
• The invention contributes to the automatic identification and execution of improvement objects, so-called ROIs, which can optimize the behavior of the technical installation.
• - The subsequent integration of problem-solving or optimization algorithms in a system is carried out without re-testing, security problems, system downtime or commissioning.
• The architecture and security mechanisms of the invention ensure that no abuse or deterioration of investment behavior occurs.

Further advantages, details and developments of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments in conjunction with the drawings.

• 1 einen Taxonomiebaum zu einem Engineeringprojekt und
• 2 schematisch eine Umgebung für eine technische Anlage, in der das erfindungsgemäße Gerät/Vorrichtung/Anordnung bzw. das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren eingesetzt werden können.

Show it:

• 1 a taxonomy tree to an engineering project and
• 2 schematically an environment for a technical system in which the device / device / arrangement or the inventive method can be used.

In 1 For example, a taxonomy tree T is shown, which is already in EN 10 2016 214 666.1 was proposed. The engineering domain is for example a vehicle. To uniquely identify individual data, a taxonomy-based domain model is used in the example, with the help of which a corresponding long-lived and unambiguous address space is spanned. Not only project data for the design or creation of a plant, but also data for the use of these objects should be addressed. Examples are information about the activation prerequisites of individual objects or the roles of the persons who are allowed to call a module.

A taxonomy is a classification scheme that represents a single procedure or model that classifies engineering data and individual components according to specific criteria, ie, classifies them into categories or classes (also called taxa).

The following very simplified illustrated example is conceivable in connection with a plant type "vehicle construction", without limiting the invention to:

• - Bordelektronik
  • ◯ Bedienelemente
  • ◯ Regeln
  • ◯ Steuern
  • ◯ [Gerät]
    • ■ Temperatur
      • • Minimal (Wert)
      • • Maximal (Wert)
    • ■ Durchfluss
  • ◯ Getriebe
  • ◯ Antrieb
• - Architektur

Plant components or modules of a vehicle project can be:

• - On-board electronics
  • ◯ Operating elements
  • ◯ rules
  • ◯ taxes
  • ◯ [device]
    • ■ temperature
      • • Minimal (value)
      • • maximum (value)
    • ■ flow
  • ◯ gearbox
  • ◯ drive
• - Architecture

All project data, ie both engineering data and the runtime data belonging to the physical components (modules), can be addressed by means of a hierarchical addressing scheme.

The above-mentioned objects in the example relate to optimization objects, also abbreviated ROI, the following to the figure 2 be explained in more detail.

The Indian 1 Device wildcard represented by [], also referred to as a wildcard, represents all addresses that can be interpreted or found at run-time according to its position within the taxonomy for accessing input or output data of the ROIs or optimization configuration data.

The placeholder used here by way of example could then inter alia stand for a "blower". The properties shown above, such as temperature, rules, and algorithms, can be addressed using the terms of the provided domain-specific taxonomy or ontology. For this purpose, an address can be formed by stringing together all the terms of the path from the root to the leaf with the property just considered. The Indian 1 The taxonomy tree shown here is used as a kind of virtual address space, from which reusable addresses (logical addresses) emerge via these paths, to which absolute addresses in the form of physical addresses of a programmable logic controller PLC can be assigned. For example, the values for the input or output variables of a PLC controller or the input or output file or a field in a file can be addressed. However, an Internet address for a web service server WEB-also in the form of a cloud-of a service provider can be stored as the absolute address in order to find and download suitable ROIs, or to call them up in the form of a (cloud) service or service.

In the example, the taxonomy level "on-board electronics" could correspond to the absolute address of a control unit PLC or another control unit (example: "control unit A"). The subordinate taxonomy level "Taxes" of the taxonomy could be missing in absolute addressing. In virtual addressing, there is a placeholder for all devices used in the next sublevel (corresponds to wildcard "[device]"). Each individual device could be addressed in absolute addressing by means of a uniform designation (example: "main drive"). In each of the devices addressed in this way, according to the virtual addressing, there would be a variable for indicating the minimum and maximum temperature, which in the absolute addressing are independent terms (for example, "MinTransmissionTemp") as the permissible value range of the associated device.

Accordingly, the virtual or logical sample address could
"On-board electronics # Control # Main drive # Temperature # Minimal" corresponds to the total absolute address "control unit A.Main operating.MinBetriebsTemp" composed of the above items, which are used by both the PLC of the system under consideration and the inventive device SG to a plant signal to read or to influence.

In the example, cyclic values of the current operating temperature of a plant-mounted component as well as values of external input variables (e.g., current weather data of a weather service of the Internet) may be cyclically read using the ROI as input data. An ROI determines thereupon optimization result values W for the optimized control of a blower integrated in this component. For this purpose, the ROI, using optimization configuration data, ensures that, on the one hand, the readable operating temperature interval is maintained and, on the other hand, for example, a minimum of wear or a minimum of energy is required.

The operational safety of industrial plants is the highest goal. For this reason, it must be ensured that any subsequent automated changes in the system do not endanger them.

For this reason, the optimization result values determined by means of RIO are transferred as optimized values to the PLC control unit PLC or to the component (eg a blower) installed on the system, if the plausibility unit PB has previously ensured in the inventive device SG that the intended measure could demonstrably lead to an improvement or at least could prove that the intended measure does not pose a danger to the operational safety, which could under certain circumstances lead to an improvement and no better matching optimization object exists. In such a case, according to the plausibility requirements stored in the optimization configuration data, it would later be possible to determine, for example by means of statistical evaluations in the plausibility unit PB, whether it is really an improvement and which improvement is the best.

For this reason, it is quite useful to run several optimization blocks in parallel with the same or an overlapping optimization target, because the plausibility test is able to identify the most effective optimization block for the plant.

If the optimization values determined by the RIO survive the plausibility test, they are sent as optimized output values W via the interface SB and the Profinet or Profibus to the conventional control unit PLC or directly to the controlling component (in the present case a blower) output.

All ROIs have an individual description which indicates which addresses of a specific domain or plant type they are reading (input variables) or write (output variables).

2 schematically shows an environment for a technical system in which the device / device / assembly according to the invention or the method according to the invention can be used.

The inventive arrangement A is connected to a communication interface, preferably via the Internet I, with a web service server WEB. The apparatus IG provided in the arrangement AN, also referred to below as the processing unit, can communicate remotely (deposited) with the web service server WEB via an interface C, for example in the form of a web service call unit. The processing unit IG is able to identify suitable optimization objects of the web service server WEB. These can then be transferred by a so-called download in the processing unit IG, kept there permanently (optimization objects ROI). 1 to ROI-n) and are executed cyclically using the integrated runtime environment. However, suitable optimization objects can also be executed in a runtime environment of the web service server as a so-called web service. As a web service, a so-called Software-As-A-Service can be used. The inventive device is also able to cause that if the RIO used by an external unit (for example, another manufacturer) comes and the optimization object used really led to improved system behavior, automatically a corresponding remuneration of the service worker is done ("Pay by optimize "instead of" pay by use ").

The optimization objects can be created, updated or extended. Depending on the domain in which the present invention is used, an individual library can implement optimization objects and make them available in the web service server WEB.

The optimization objects serve to improve or optimize plant behavior.

The inventive device is initially provided with corresponding optimization configuration data at the time of integration into a facility. However, this configuration data can also be improved remotely with appropriate access rights afterwards (remotely). Among other things, the optimization configuration data contains all inputs and outputs of the industrial plant that are suitable for later optimization, in the form of address pairs (absolute address / virtual address).

In addition, all optimization objects have a uniform structure and contain, inter alia, a fixed description of its features and capabilities. In this description, for example, in the form of virtual addresses, it is deposited which input variable the ROI requires and which optimization result values are generated or which outputs of the installation are influenced.

By automated cyclic comparison of the virtual value pairs of the optimization configuration data with the required addresses of the respective ROI, the inventive device can automatically determine which ROI from a set of possibly web-based provided optimization objects that can be stored in a library to optimize the behavior of the just addressed concrete plant in question.

The optimization objects selected in this way are called once or repeatedly cyclically or at regular intervals. Thus, the output values A to be improved by the optimization objects are automatically processed once or cyclically recurring on the basis of the required input signal values E of one or more system components after use.

The optimization configuration data also specifies which "prerequisites" must be fulfilled so that the respective optimization proposal of an RIO, ie the output signal values changed for this purpose, can be considered admissible and may be passed on to the corresponding plant component (eg a programmable logic controller PLC) , Furthermore, these prerequisites specify rules which value combinations or ranges with respect to the input and / or output signal values E, A are admissible or represent an optimization.

These prerequisites are required for the plausibility check already described above and can be implemented by using rule description languages such as Drools and / or also by means of conventional programming (established programming languages such as C ++, JAVA or even Visual Basic) in the form of corresponding limit values and algorithms.

The overall sequence of a cycle for optimizing individual values on the basis of the identified or determined optimization objects takes place automatically in the following processing steps:

First of all, the currently executing ROIs are used to determine which input and output variables are currently being considered. For this purpose, a list of all virtual addresses that are used in any active ROI is created.

Thereafter, using the optimization configuration data, the absolute addresses to the virtual or logical addresses of the above list are determined.

Now, the current values for all the absolute addresses determined in the previous step (corresponding to all relevant input variables) are read in.

Now all active RIOs are called one after the other. In doing so, all currently read-in values of the input variables read in for the ROI are transferred as input variables / parameters.

The returned values of the respectively called ROI represent the recommended optimization values W.

The determined optimization result values of all retrieved ROI are now checked for plausibility. In the case of overlaps, ie if several modules provide recommendations for overlapping optimization results, it is also checked which of the ROI leads to the best improvements from the perspective of the plausibility check.

For all values that pass the plausibility check and from their point of view represent the best improvement, the corresponding absolute addresses of the corresponding output variables are now determined and used to transfer the optimization result values to the PLC control unit or to the corresponding system components.

Furthermore, a device SG is provided in the arrangement AN, which can be configured by the engineering tools of the storage-programmable control unit PLC, which is already installed in the system, and can optionally be integrated into the control unit PLC.

By means of the corresponding engineering tools it is possible to configure which addresses of the virtual, domain-specific address space can generally be involved in the optimization of the behavior of a plant component, which physical addresses of a programmable logic controller PLC correspond to these virtual addresses and which rules should apply to the output values as an improvement.

The configuration of a memory-programmed control unit is usually carried out already for commissioning of the technical system. This also applies to the configuration of the inventive device SG, but this is possible with proof of appropriate access rights even later remotely via a suitable web application.

The hardware connection of the device SG to the conventional control unit PLC is carried out by means of a suitable automation bus PROFINET. Typical automation buses are Profibus and Profinet, for example.

Under normal circumstances, the values of the variables to be optimized are passed from the PLC control unit to the plant to control the components of the plant. The output to the interface EBA of the device SG outputs in the form of output signal values A of the control unit PLC, however, are not passed directly to the plant process. You take a detour via the arrangement. These output variables are optionally subjected to an optimization of their signal waveforms. For this optimization, optimization objects are ROI- 1 responsible for ROI-n. But only if an optimization object is really able to bring about an improvement, the optimization values W of the output signal values proposed by the respective optimization object are accepted and passed on to the system for controlling the corresponding components instead of the values calculated by the control unit PLC. These optimization result values are checked by the plausibility unit PB as to whether an improvement of the component behavior of the installation will occur. If, on the other hand, no improvement takes place, the values calculated by the control unit PLC are looped through one-to-one by means of a bypass unit BY of the device SG and passed on to the system. In order to be able to decide whether an optimization object can really contribute to an improvement of the system behavior, it is already determined during the initial configuration which changes of the optimization result values are permissible, for example by defining permissible value ranges or by describing signal value constellations that correspond to an optimization or improvement , It is possible for an optimization object to perform a simulation so that the result of the simulation comprises a chain or matrix of individual optimization result values W which can describe value dependencies between an output signal value A and at least one input signal value E.

That in the 2 shown device SG represents a kind of connection unit which between the above-described processing unit IG and the Control unit PLC ultimately controls the exchange of the optimization result values W and the optimization configuration data K.

The device has interface units EBE, EBA and SB, which can be combined to form a first common interface. These interface units can be coupled to the conventional control unit PLC by means of the automation bus PROFINET. The interface units EBE, EBA are used to read in at least one predefinable input variable, which can be accessed within the programmable logic controller PLC by assigning a respective logical address of the virtual addressing scheme to an absolute address of the respective input variable with the aid of the mentioned domain-specific virtual addressing scheme. In this case, the values of the at least one input variable correspond to input E and / or output signal values A of components of the technical system that can be controlled by the programmable logic controller PLC.

The above-mentioned configuration storage unit KE is suitable for providing optimization configuration data K. The optimization configuration data may define optimizable outputs of plant components, as well as the associated input variables, and information e.g. In the form of rules, under which conditions output signal values A at the optimizable or adaptable outputs represent an optimization and / or which value ranges of the output signal values are permissible. These optimization configuration data are included in the above-mentioned plausibility check by the plausibility unit PB.

With regard to the inputs and outputs involved in possible optimization processes, the configuration memory unit KE can respectively receive and make available address pairs in the optimization configuration data K, from which each variable reveals both the absolute address and the associated logical address of the domain-specific virtual addressing scheme.

Depending on a device-side plausibility check of the optimization result values with the information derivable from the optimization configuration data K, prerequisites to be fulfilled and / or permitted value ranges, the optimization result values W are output to the programmable logic controller PLC by means of the output unit SB. The original output values A can also be output if the plausibility check does not allow an optimization or change of the values. Then, these original values are passed through the above-mentioned by-pass unit BY.

In addition, the device SG may have further interface units EL, AL, which may be combined to form a second common interface, which couples the device SG with the above-mentioned processing unit IG for executing one or more optimization objects ROI. 1 , ..., ROI-n serves. Based on the optimization configuration data K and / or on the input variables read from one or more provided optimization objects, it can be determined which optimization object can perform an optimization on output signal values A.

Deployment of optimization objects can be done through web service servers. As already explained above, the selection of suitable optimization objects takes place automatically with the aid of the virtual addresses of the corresponding input and output variables stored in the optimization configuration data and the respective objects.

Although the invention has been further illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiment, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Implementation of the above-described processes or procedures may be accomplished by instructions that reside on computer-readable storage media or in volatile computer storage (collectively referred to as computer-readable storage). Computer-readable memories are, for example, volatile memories such as caches, buffers or RAM as well as non-volatile memories such as removable data carriers, hard disks, etc.

The functions or steps described above may be in the form of at least one instruction set in / on a computer-readable memory. The functions or steps are not tied to a particular set of instructions or to a particular form of instruction set or to a particular storage medium or processor, or to particular execution schemes, and may include software, firmware, microcode, hardware, processors, integrated circuits, etc. be carried out alone or in any combination. It can be used a variety of processing strategies, such as serial processing by a single processor or multiprocessing or multitasking or parallel processing, etc.

The instructions may be stored in local memories, but it is also possible to store the instructions on a remote system and access them via network.

As used herein, the term "processor", "central signal processing", "control unit" or "data evaluation means" includes processing means in the broadest sense, such as servers, general purpose processors, graphics processors, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic circuits such as FPGAs, discrete analog or digital circuits, and any combinations thereof, including any other processing means known to those skilled in the art or developed in the future. Processors can consist of one or more devices or devices or units. If a processor consists of several devices, these can be designed or configured for the parallel or sequential processing or execution of instructions.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102016214666 [0007, 0044]

Claims (19)

Device (SG) for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation, comprising: - At least a first interface (EBE, EBA, SB) for coupling (PROFINET) of the device (SG) with a programmable logic controller (PLC), which can control the behavior of the components, wherein the first interface comprises means (EBE, EBA) for reading in values to at least one predeterminable input variable, which are addressed by means of a domain-specific virtual addressing scheme by assigning in each case a logical address of the virtual addressing scheme to an absolute address of the respective input variable within the programmable logic controller ( PLC) can be accessed, wherein the values of the at least one input variable correspond to input (E) and / or output signal values (A) of components of the technical system that can be controlled by the programmable logic controller, Means (KE) for providing optimization configuration data (K) which define the inputs that can be used for the optimization and / or the outputs of components that can be adapted based on at least one optimization result value (W), and information about which conditions output signal values at the outputs include an optimization represent and / or which value ranges of the input and output signal values (E, A) are admissible, - At least a second interface (EL, AL) for coupling the device (SG) with a processing unit (IG), the means for executing one or more, from a set of provided optimization objects determinable optimization objects (ROI-1; ROI-n)) based the optimization configuration data (K) and / or based on the values of the read input variables, wherein the optimization objects perform an optimization using the values of the read input variables and at least one optimization value (W) can return and Means (BY) for outputting the original values of the read input variables to the programmable logic controller (PLC) and / or means (SB) for outputting the at least one optimization result value (W) for adapting one or more outputs of components to the at least one optimization result value ( W) comprises, depending on the result of a device-side check (SB) of the at least one optimization result value with said information derivable from the optimization configuration data (K). Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the values of the predefinable input variables can be accessed at runtime when the particular optimization object is executed. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components can represent hardware, firmware and / or software units. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that such an optimization object is designed by software to optimize the input and / or output signal values (E, A) and output at least one optimization result value (W) an optimized signal behavior of the at least one component of the technical Produce plant. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that such an optimization object can perform one or more simulations so that the result of the simulation can comprise a string or matrix of individual optimization result values, the value dependencies between an output signal value and at least one input signal value and / or vice versa can describe. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that such an optimization object is implemented as a usable web service, wherein a runtime environment for executing the optimization object on a web service server (WEB) is created and thus the coupling to the device by a remote, English also called remote , Communication (I) takes place. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that from the set of optimization objects provided by a web service server (WEB) by the processing unit (IG), suitable optimization objects (ROI-1, ..., ROI-n) are determined, downloaded and incorporated into the Runtime environment of the processing unit (IG) for execution can be stored. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (KE) for providing optimization configuration data (K) are configurable such that for each predeterminable input variable in each case both an absolute address and a logical address of the domain-specific virtual addressing scheme can be provided. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (EBE, EBA) for reading the values to at least the a predefinable input variable can be configured so that the values of the at least one input variable can be accessed with the aid of the associated domain-specific logical address derivable from the optimization configuration data and the associated absolute address. A device (IG) for providing a run time environment for a device (SG) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: an interface (C) for determining and executing one or more optimization objects (ROI-1) from a set of provided optimization objects based on optimization configuration data (K) and / or on input variables read in, wherein the one or more optimization objects include a Perform optimization using the values of the read input variables and at least return an optimization value (W), - Means for outputting the at least one optimization result value (W) to a device-side check (SB) of the at least one optimization result value with from the optimization configuration data (K) derivable, said information comprises. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the determination of the optimization object and its execution is repeatable at intervals. Arrangement (AN) for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation, comprising: - a device (SG) according to one of the preceding Claims 1 to 9 , and - a device (IG) after the preceding one Claim 10 or 11 , Method for optimizing the behavior of at least one component of a technical installation, comprising the following steps: Coupling the device to a programmable logic controller (PLC), Reading values into predefinable input variables, which are accessed by means of a domain-specific virtual addressing scheme by assigning in each case a virtual address of the virtual addressing scheme to an absolute address of the respective input variable within the programmable logic controller, the values of the input variables corresponding to input and / or output signal values of components of the technical system controllable by the programmable logic controller, Providing optimization configuration data (K) which determine the inputs that can be used for the optimization and / or the outputs of components which can be adapted on the basis of at least one optimization result value and information on which conditions output signal values at the outputs represent an optimization and / or which ones Value ranges of the input and output signal values (E, A) are permissible, Determining, downloading and maintaining the optimizing objects eligible for optimization from the set of provided optimization objects based on the characteristics of all objects eligible for optimization in the optimization configuration data (K), Providing a runtime environment for executing the determined and held optimization objects, Execution of one or more retained optimization objects in the runtime environment, which perform an optimization using the values of the read input variables and return at least one optimization value (W), Checking the at least one optimization result value (W) with information derived from the optimization configuration data (K), and determining which of the optimization objects used has delivered the best optimization result values, Outputting the original values of the read input variables and / or the at least one optimization result value as output variables to the programmable logic controller as a function of the check. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the determination of the optimization objects eligible for optimization and their execution is repeated at time intervals. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the values of the predefinable input variables are accessed at runtime when the particular optimization object is executed. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that such an optimization object can perform one or more simulations so that the result of the simulation can comprise a string or matrix of individual optimization result values, the value dependencies between an output signal value and at least one input signal value and / or describe in reverse. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that on the basis of Optimization configuration data both the absolute addresses and the logical addresses of the domain-specific virtual addressing scheme of the eligible for an optimization and / or plausibility check input variables are provided. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that such an optimization object has features and capabilities which are described on the basis of the domain-specific virtual addressing scheme and stored together with the respective optimization object and this in cooperation with the optimization configuration data and the values of the read input variables of the determination of the at least one optimization object from the set of the provided optimization objects. Computer program product with means for carrying out the method according to one of the aforementioned method claims, when the computer program product distributed in an arrangement according to Claim 12 is carried out.

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