AU2007200820A1

AU2007200820A1 - Method and process management system for the operation of a technical plant

Info

Publication number: AU2007200820A1
Application number: AU2007200820A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Detlef Fischer; Martin Glaser; Oliver Kaiser; Hans-Jurgen Sauer; Thomas Schoch; Rainer Speh; Michael Umkelbach; Steffen Wagner; Horst Walz
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2001-08-07
Filing date: 2007-02-23
Publication date: 2007-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2022-07-26
Also published as: AU2007200820B2

Description

S&F Ref: 655563D1

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name and Address of Applicant Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, of Wittelsbacherplatz 2, 80333, Munchen, Germany Detlef Fischer Martin Glaser Oliver Kaiser Hans-Jurgen Sauer Thomas Schoch Rainer Speh Michael Umkelbach Steffen Wagner Horst Walz Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower Level 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Method and process management system for the operation of a technical plant The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845c(691185_1) WO 03/014850 PCT/EP02/08353 O Description SMETHOD AND PROCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE OPERATION C€ OF A TECHNICAL PLANT Cq The invention relates to a method and a process control system for operating a technical installation 00 To control a technical installation, a process control system is normally used which comprises a number of Scomponents which specialize in particular tasks and are C( installed at various locations within the technical installation, for example in a power plant for generating electric power.

In this case, the process control system usually has a hierarchic structure involving a plurality of levels.

At a field level, the signals which arise during operation of the technical installation and describe the operating state of installation components are detected and control signals are sent to actuating elements for the installation components.

At an automation level, the control functions used to operate the installation are implemented in a plurality of programmable logic controllers (PLCs), for example.

During implementation, a specific piece of control software developed for control tasks is usually used step 5, step 7 etc.) which can be executed only on particular types of CPUs which are in turn operated by a specific operating system. The automation level receives signals from the field level and sends commands to the field level; in this case, the connection between the field and automation levels can be in the form of individual wiring of each pickup and/or of each actuating element to corresponding inputs and outputs for the automation level, but WO 03/014850 2 PCT/EP02/08353 Q) it is also possible to use a field bus system with a 3 particular, usually very specific transmission protocol O for this purpose.

c, An operator control and monitoring level forms a man/machine interface which an operator can use to C operate the technical installation and to obtain oo information therefrom. In this case, the operator O obtains, for example on a screen in a computer system in the form of process images, graphical information about the installation state and he can use, by way of example, a mouse and/or a keyboard in the computer system to input operating commands into the computer system. The operator control and monitoring level is often connected to the automation level by means of a power plant bus system, in which case the bus system is in the form of an optical fiber system, for example, and is operated using a specific transmission protocol.

The computer system for the operator control and monitoring level usually comprises a specific piece of operator control and monitoring software installed thereon.

The control software is usually produced directly at the automation level using a programming device which is connected to the automation devices (PLCs) and which is used to generate the "target code" for the corresponding automation device, and/or using a separate engineering system which, by way of example, is formed by a computer on which modules are selected from a library and are connected to one another graphically, for example, in order to provide a desired control function. Subsequent compilation generates the target code from the graphical function diagram, and said target code is then loaded on the desired automation device (PLC) at the automation level and is executable.

WO 03/014850 2a PCT/EP02/08353 Q The use of such a known process control system thus requires the use of hardware and software 00 WO 03/014850 3 PCT/EP02/08353 components respectively tailored to particular tasks; 3 the operator control and monitoring software is not C4 executable on the automation devices and, conversely, (f the control software is not executable on the operator control and monitoring system's computer system. To operate a technical installation, it is thus necessary C to use various systems in parallel beside one another 00 which are not suitable for taking on tasks from one of Sthe other systems. In addition, the systems also cannot CN1 be arranged at almost any physical distance from one another, since the connection between them, usually a bus system or individual wiring, cannot be extended arbitrarily and also such an extension if it is at all possible to implement would be very expensive and susceptible to error.

Conventional process control systems are thus usually arranged in strictly hierarchic form, with each level of the hierarchy using systems which are specifically matched to the respective task, such as the aforementioned PLC or the aforementioned automation bus systems (for example the Sinec Hl bus from Siemens or the Profibus); said systems are then also usually operated with software packages developed specifically for automation technology. Since, as already mentioned, the maximum reachable distance at which the components of a known process control system can be installed away from one another is limited, it is usually the case in practise that' virtually all the components of the process control system are installed within the technical installation.

Such a known process control system is very expensive, since specific hardware and software is used which still needs to be configured and parameterized by experts for use in the technical installation; in addition, it is possible to diagnose, maintain and WO 03/014850 3a PCT/EP02/08353 Soptimize components and functions of the process control system practically only in situ. Furthermore, Sknown process control systems have only very c00 0 WO 03/014850 4 PCT/EP02/08353 limited control options from locations which are outside the technical installation (to this end, known process control systems usually have a separate system, such as a gateway, with this specifically configurable C- 5 gateway often being able to be used to perform only a portion of the control tasks externally; in this case, O it is frequently necessary to couple systems having 00 different transmission protocols with a great deal of involvement).

SIn addition, an operator needs to obtain specific C1 training in order to be able to operate the process control system.

The strict hierarchic structure of a known process control system can take the following form, for example: At least one automation device a PLC) at the automation level stores control programs produced in a specific programming language, and these control programs are executed there; by way of example, the automation device stores the control algorithm for operating a motor.

The operator control and monitoring system stores the graphical process images, for example, in which the current process measurement and state values are overlaid as dynamic image components, and command areas are provided in which the user can send an operator control command start up/set in motion; prescribe nominal value etc.) using a mouse click or a keyboard input, for example. The operator control command is then transmitted, for example using a power plant bus system, to the automation level, where it is then executed by a control program running on the automation device, this involving the control program driving actuating elements in the technical installation and WO 03/014850 4a PCT/EP02/08353 reading in measurement values example.

from sensors, for In the case cited by way of example, the operator control and monitoring system has the motor's process image stored in it, for example, WO 03/014850 5 PCT/EP02/08353 Q) and the current operating states of the motor the 3 speed, power, operating time, temperature etc.), which are sent to the operator control and monitoring system Sby the automation system using the power plant bus system, are overlaid in said process image. The user is then able to click on a command button on the screen or C to press a key, for example, and thereby to start the 0 OO motor, to stop it or to request a higher power etc. (in Swhich case the control program associated with the 0 respective command is executed in the automation system) An engineering system for the process control system engineers the process control system's control functionality, for example, by calling control modules from a software library, connecting them to one another and supplying them with parameter values, for example on a graphical user interface; the resultant control programs put together from a plurality of control modules are then converted (compiled) to that target code which is then loaded on a target device at the automation level and is executable there. The engineering system is also able, by way of example, to create and parameterize the process images with their S 25 static and dynamic image components; the process control system is thus configured and engineered using the specialized engineering system.

Furthermore, there can additionally be a separate diagnosis system which is used to monitor the operating state of the technical installation particularly the critical operating states.

In summary, it can be said that, in order to perform its tasks, a known process control system requires a multiplicity of specialized, heterogeneous subsystems in which usually specific hardware and software are used. Operating and configuring such a heterogeneous WO 03/014850 5a PCT/EPO2/08353 overall system are therefore very complex, and the implementation 00 WO 03/014850 6 PCT/EP02/08353 and purchase costs of such systems are very high. In 3 addition, such process control systems are not very Sflexible, inter alia on account of the high level of M specialization of its subsystems.

c-I The invention is therefore based on the object of C specifying a method and a process control system for 00 0 operating a technical installation which overcome the Saforementioned drawbacks; in particular, the intention is that it should be largely possible to use universal computers (that is to say computers and automation devices which have not been developed specifically for automation) and to use universal software (that is to say software which is already as widely used as possible and has not been developed specifically for automation).

As regards the method, the invention achieves the object by means of a method for operating a technical installation having a number of field devices for monitoring and controlling components of the technical installation, at least one process control computer for monitoring and controlling the technical installation, and at least one communication channel by means of which the field devices are connected to the process control computer, the field devices transmitting to the process control computer measurement data which arise in the technical installation and describe the operating state of at least one of the components and receiving the control commands from the process control computer, where the state and control signals are transmitted between at least one portion of the field devices and the process control computer via the communication channel using a TCP/IP protocol.

In this case, the invention is based on the consideration that the flexibility of the method is WO 03/014850 6a PCT/EP02/08353 0 increased particularly when the data for the measurement-data and control commands are transmitted I using a protocol which can be used for a multiplicity Sof communication channels and which requires no hardware and software developed specifically for automation 00 WO 03/014850 7 PCT/EP02/08353 technology. This is intended to allow the inventive method to use largely already existing communication channels for transmitting said data, particularly without this requiring installation of a separate, 5 specific bus system with a specific transmission protocol.

00 In the inventive method, communication between the components of the process control system takes place as far as possible using the cited protocol, the communicating stations involved (particularly the field (Ni devices and the process control computer) supporting an IP addressing mechanism in this case.

Advantageously, the communication channel comprises the Internet and/or an intranet and/or a radio link.

In this way, it is possible for the components of the process control system used for the inventive method, particularly the field devices, which are preferably arranged in the technical installation, and the process control computer to be arranged at virtually any physical distance from one another, with communication between said components taking place using the Internet, which is already in widespread use throughout the world, and/or an intranet already installed in a physical environment and/or using a radio link. It is thus not necessary to implement the communication channel separately in the form of hardware, which would entail a severe limitation of the possible physical distances between the components of the process control system. When using the Internet and/or the intranet, the TCP/IP transmission protocol already known and used therein is used, which means that no specific developments and/or extensive alignments are required in order to implement communication. Even when using a radio link for communication, it is a simple matter to use the TCP/IP transmission protocol; the radio WO 03/014850 8 PCT/EP02/08353 link can in this case be covered by the Internet and/or intranet.

In one advantageous refinement of the invention, the Cl 5 process control computer comprises a web server for connecting the process control computer to the Internet and/or an intranet, and operator control and/or 00 00 monitoring functions of the technical installation, which are implemented in the process control computer by means of software, are executed using a client computer, which comprises an Internet browser and is C connected to the Internet and/or intranet, by means of Internet access to the process control computer.

In this advantageous refinement of the invention, the process control computer can be installed at virtually any locations at which access to the Internet and/or to the intranet is possible. In addition, operator control and monitoring of the technical installation can also be carried out from almost any location using the client computer. In this case, the client computer needs to have as software besides an operating system essentially only a known Internet browser and otherwise virtually no specific software (such client 1 i 25 computers are referred to as "thin clients"). The client computer can thus use the Internet browser to access the process control computer via the Internet and/or the intranet and to operate the functions implemented on said process control computer which relate to operation of the technical installation via the Internet. It can also use the Internet to retrieve the operating information processed in the process control computer, such as state messages and measurement values for the technical installation, via the Internet and can display them on the client computer. In this case, the client computer's Internet access to the process control computer preferably comprises a security check, e.g. a request for a WO 03/014850 8a PCT/EP02/08353 0 password, in order to prevent access by unauthorized

C-

persons. It is also possible to provide a plurality of Spasswords for Internet access, with each password having a respective CM 00

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WO 03/014850 9 PCT/EP02/08353 associated use authorization with a particular scope.

c-I SIn another advantageous refinement of the invention, the operator control and/or monitoring functions are CI 5 put together from software components which each contain directly executable software code.

00 An overall functionality, to be implemented in software, for a process control system in accordance with the invention is formed by virtue of software components which, for their part, are already C- executable on a computer, for example a universal computer, and which implement a particular subfunction being put together to form a new, more extensive function. The function is thus generated essentially by combining, as far as possible, subfunctions which have already been implemented and are executable; in this case, the operator control and monitoring functions comprise, in particular, automation functions for the process control system which control and/or regulate the components of the technical installation.

Advantageously, at least one of the operator control and/or monitoring functions is put together from at least two software components and is executed without any compilation and loading operation taking place for this operator control and/or monitoring function beforehand on that computer on which this function is executed.

For such a newly generated function to be created and to be executed, there is thus no need for the intermediate step of converting the function into the target code for that computer on which the function is intended to be executed. The function is executable on the target computer immediately after the at least two software components have been put together. This means that the control software produced in this manner is WO 03/014850 9a PCT/EP02/08353 Svirtually independent of the computer platform on which it is intended to be executed. A suitable programming 0 language for creating such control 00 WO 03/014850 10 PCT/EPO2/08353 software is the programming language JAVA, which can be c-I used to generate byte code, which is executable Simmediately on a "virtual JAVA machine"; such virtual machines can be obtained for almost all known, C 5 especially universal, computer platforms (universal computers). In addition, JAVA applications produced using the programming language JAVA, for example 00 control and monitoring programs for a technical installation, are directly executable under most known web browsers and also require no specific program execution environment.

Advantageously, "intelligent" field devices are used for data acquisition and command output in the technical installation, said intelligent field devices having a dedicated microprocessor at the very least and having a virtual machine (described above) installed on them, so that operator control and/or monitoring functions in the technical installation are also "moved out" to these field devices and can be executed directly thereon. In this case, said functions do not need to be compiled and loaded on the field device beforehand in order to be executed thereon.

In one particularly advantageous refinement of the invention, essentially all of the process data for the technical installation which are processed in the process control computer are respectively assigned a URL address.

Said addressing is known particularly from the area of the Internet, where particular contents, such as pages or other data areas on the Internet, can be retrieved directly by inputting said URL address in an Internet browser. The present invention involves the use of mechanisms already realized on the Internet, which means that directed retrieval of process data, e.g. using a client computer, via the Internet is a simple matter.

WO 03/014850 11 PCT/EP02/08353 As regards the process control system, the invention achieves the object by means of a process control Ssystem for operating a technical installation which M comprises the following parts: a) at least one process control computer for monitoring and controlling the technical installation, which process control computer 00 comprises a web server which can be used to set up a connection to the Internet and/or to an intranet such that process data arising in the process control computer can be transmitted via the Internet and/or intranet and data can be received from the Internet and/or intranet, b) at least one client computer for operator control and/or monitoring of the technical installation via the Internet and/or an intranet using an Internet browser which is installed on the client computer and can be used to connect the client computer to the Internet and/or intranet, and c) a number of sensors and actuators which are arranged in the technical installation and are used to record measured variables in the technical installation and to make adjustments to components in the technical installation which are connected to the process control computer via at least one communication channel and transmit measurement data to said process control computer and receive control commands from said process control computer.

Such a process control system is particularly flexible, since, by way of example, operator control and monitoring of the technical installation is not limited to the location of the technical installation. The process control computer used to operate the technical installation uses the web server to make the process data processed in it available such that it is possible to access these data via the Internet using the client WO 03/014850 lla PCT/EP02/08353 0 computer. In this case, the client computer ("thin client") essentially needs to have just a known SInternet browser and otherwise requires no special M software. It is also possible for the process control C 5 system to be configured and/or parameterized using the client computer, which in this case accesses the 00

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WO 03/014850 12 PCT/EP02/08353 process control computer. Furthermore, the client computer can be used to perform (remote) diagnosis both Sfor the process control system and for the technical installation by accessing the process control computer.

c- Advantageously, the communication channel comprises a O radio link and/or a bus link and/or the Internet and/or 00 an intranet.

In this way, it is possible for the process control Scomputer not necessarily to need to be installed in c direct proximity to the technical installation, since the signals from the sensors and actuators, which are preferably arranged in the technical installation, can be transmitted over long distances (when the Internet is used, virtually throughout the world) using said transmission media. In this case, the radio link can be covered by the Internet and/or intranet. The process control computer can in this case be in a "server park", for example, which is located with a service provider and is operated by the latter. The technical installation itself thus essentially need now contain only the sensors and actuators which record the measurement data for the technical installation and send the control commands thereto.

With particular advantage, the process control computer is operated using a real-time operating system and is configured in redundant form such that at least one error occurring during operation of the process control computer does not result in loss of the functionality of the process control computer, and operation of the process control computer in such a case of error can be continued practically without delay and without loss of data. In this case, the real-time operating system can be in the form of a universal operating system with real-time properties.

WO 03/014850 12a PCT/EP02/08353 0 In a technical installation, a number of time-critical operations generally need to be monitored and/or Scontrolled 00 WO 03/014850 13 PCT/EPO2/08353 O and/or regulated, which means that the computers used for this purpose need to have a deterministic response, so that particular processing steps are executed with certainty in a known, predictable time interval. To this end, it is necessary to use a real-time operating system in order to prevent any damage to the technical installation and/or any risk to humans and the OO environment and in order to be able to configure operation of the technical installation as best possible.

To be able to prevent disruption of the operating cycle in the technical installation and/or risk even better, the process control computer is additionally configured so as to be "l-error proof" (in redundant form) by way of preference. This means that at least one error arising during operation of the process control computer does not result in loss of the latter's functionality, and said process control computer's operation can be continued in such an instance of error virtually without delay and without loss of data. It is thus certain that, in particular, critical operations within the technical installation which need to be controlled by the process control computer can be processed without disruption. To this end, by way of example, the most important components of the process control computer can be provided a plurality of times and, in the event of an error, a piece of error software, for example, ensures that operation is continued virtually without delay using intact components.

Such a process control computer is thus largely failsafe. It is thus also possible to implement virtually the entire functionality of the process control system in the process control computer and to dispense with the strictly hierarchic structure of known process control systems by eliminating, by way of WO 03/014850 13a PCT/EP02/08353 O example, at least the automation level, which usually contains specific programmable logic controllers S(PLCs), which can also be used to process time-critical Stasks. Since the process control computer in the inventive process control system can also process timecritical tasks using a real-time operating system and Sis configured in redundant 00 WO 03/014850 14 PCT/EP02/08353 form so as to be failsafe, it is therefore possible to dispense at least with the previously known and Sautomation level and its specific automation devices.

C 5 Advantageously, at least a first portion of the control software required for controlling the technical Sinstallation is installed and can be executed on the 00 process control computer.

The process control computer is a central component of the inventive process control system. Accordingly, at C least one portion of the necessary control software is installed and can be executed on this computer. If the process control computer has real-time capability and/or is configured in redundant form so as to be failsafe, then this first portion of the control software preferably comprises those software programs which concern time-critical and failsafe operation of the technical installation. It is thus ensured that at least such control tasks are processed largely without proneness to disruption and with certainty within a precisely determined period of time, without any loss of data arising during processing and without the need to input data which already exist and/or commands which have already been input again.

Advantageously, the process control system comprises at least one field device for monitoring and controlling components of the technical installation, which field device has a second portion of the control software required for controlling the technical installation and has at least one microprocessor which can be used to execute the second portion of the control software on the field device, the field device reading in, preprocessing and transmitting to the process control computer the measured variables for the technical installation from the sensors and receiving, WO 03/014850 14a PCT/EP02/08353 preprocessing and transmitting to the actuators the control commands from the process control computer.

In this advantageous refinement of the invention, at C 5 least one portion of the signals from the sensors and actuators are 00

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WO 03/014850 15 PCT/EP02/08353 processed in an "intelligent" field device. In this case, a portion of the control functionality *of the Sinventive process control system has been "moved out" Mto these field devices. This means that the functions C 5 which have been moved out are executed directly on the field device, and the corresponding sensor and/or C actuator signals are input and output directly by the 00 field device. Hence, in the case of this embodiment, a portion of the functionality of the process control system is implemented in the field devices. Such functions implemented in the field devices are preferably accessed and operated using the client computer. The described moving-out of functions to the intelligent field devices affords the advantage that the process control computer can be equipped with fewer memory and/or computation resources. In addition, these functions can be executed more quickly, since the field devices are usually located directly in the technical installation, and therefore the data transfer to the intelligent field devices is reduced because no data relating to the internal execution of control functions need to be transmitted from the process control computer to the field device, since these control functions are executed directly on the field device. It is also possible to use the control functions available on the field device even if, by way of example, the process control computer should be temporarily unavailable.

Such functions which have been moved out to the field devices preferably relate to time-critical and/or security-related requirements.

With particular advantage, the control software is formed from a number of software components which have the following properties: WO 03/014850 15a PCT/EP02/08353 Sa) each software component implements a respectively associated function of the control software, b) each software component comprises byte code which Sis executable on a target computer, for example on 5 the process control computer and/or on one of the 00

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WO 03/014850 16 PCT/EP02/08353 field devices, directly without a preceding compilation c-I and loading operation, c) each software component is executable C 5 independently in the sense that it does not require execution of another software component in parallel in order to be executed, and 00 d) each software component has a respective interface Swhich can be used to set up at least one connection from a first software component to a second software component and/or a connection to the web server and/or a connection to at least one sensor and/or actuator, the interfaces being compatible with one another such that setting up the connection does not require any alignment of signals which are transmitted via the connection, but rather inputs and/or outputs on the interface of the first software component can be connected directly to outputs and inputs on the interface of the second software component.

In this case, the software components are independent of the computer platform on which they are intended to be executed. Particularly suitable for implementing such software components is the programming language JAVA, which can be used to generate byte code. Such byte code is directly executable on a large number of computer platforms without the need for the program code to be compiled for this purpose.

The software components are preferably self-contained and encapsulated. This means that each software component provides a function respectively intended for it in full, and the software component's flows of data which arise internally during execution of the software component, values of internal variables etc. cannot be accessed. The software components' interfaces can also be connected during execution of one or more of these WO 03/014850 16a PCT/EP02/08353 0 software components, in order to produce a new functionality, which means that it is possible to Sconfigure the control software "on line" and the resultant new function is available CM1 00 WO 03/014850 17 PCT/EP02/08353 immediately after connection of the interfaces of software components, without the need for the software Scomponents connected by means of the interfaces to be compiled and (re)loaded beforehand.

c, C-I Preferably, the process control computer and the client computer comprise a virtual machine software program, 00 00 which means that at least one portion of the software components is executable both on the process control computer and on the client computer without the need for alignment of the software components with the c-I respective target computer for this purpose.

With particular advantage, the field device comprises the virtual machine software program, which means that at least one portion of the software components is also executable on the field device without the need for alignment of the software components for this purpose.

The overall functionality of the inventive process control system is thus formed by software components which contain byte code which can be executed on a virtual machine software program. As a result, the control software implemented by the software components is virtually independent of the computer platform on which it is intended to be executed. If the software components are implemented using the programming language JAVA, then the byte code created using JAVA can be executed on the virtual machine software program, which can be obtained for virtually all computer platforms. In addition, applications produced using the programming language JAVA are directly executable under virtually any known web browser without the need for a specific program execution environment in addition. Intelligent field devices preferably likewise have such a (JAVA) virtual machine software program installed on them, so that preferably software components produced by JAVA and connections of WO 03/014850 17a PCT/EP02/08353 O software components can be executed directly on such field devices. This makes the c00 0 WO 03/014850 18 PCT/EP02/08353 inventive process control system very flexible and it c-I requires virtually no specific hardware and software Sand is additionally not tied in terms of installation location; only the field devices need to be installed C 5 close to the technical installation or in it. Field devices on which the virtual machine software program cannot be implemented and on which it is therefore not 00 possible to execute any of the control software are Sincorporated into the software component concept, mentioned further above, using "hardware proxies": said hardware proxies are likewise software components which c- detect data from nonintelligent field devices and/or output data to them and condition these (raw) data such that it is also possible to address these nonintelligent field devices using an interface corresponding to the interface for a software component. Such field device software programs can thus be integrated into the control software as a "normal" software component by means of their hardware proxies.

In another advantageous refinement of the invention, at least one portion of the software components respectively has a message processing unit, assigned on the basis of the respectively implemented function, and/or a diagnosis unit and/or an operator control- and monitoring unit and/or a parameterization unit, these units are accessible via the software component's interface.

Each software component implements, as completely as possible, a subfunction of the control software for the inventive process control system. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, at least one portion of the software components contains a respective message processing unit which can be used to read critical and/or characteristic state values relating to the implemented function, which arise particularly during execution of the software component, via the PCT/EP02/ 083 53 1o~ WO 03/014850software component's interface. These critical and/or characteristic values can also 00 WO 03/014850 19 PCT/EP02/08353 have a corresponding text message associated with them which can likewise be read via the interface. The Sdescribed functionality of message processing and alarm handling is thus an integral part of the software C 5 component and does not need to be implemented separately, e.g. in the process control computer. At N least one portion of the software components can also 00 have a diagnosis unit which can be used to produce Sdiagnosis signals which can be read via the software component's interface and which allows an assessment of a current and/or expected future operating situation Cfor a component, controlled by a software component, in the technical installation. In this embodiment of the invention, such a diagnosis function thus does not need to be implemented separately, e.g. in the process control computer. At least one portion of the software components can also have an operator control and monitoring unit which is used to transmit signals to the software component's interface which are used for controlling and/or monitoring the function implemented by the software component. These signals can be, by way of example, a first signal group, which comprises the function's most important operating state values which can be used in a graphical presentation, and a second group of signals, which can be used comprises the most important commands which can be executed by the function. It is thus not necessary to condition and/or to group the signals required for controlling and monitoring a component controlled by a software component in the technical installation separately, e.g. in the process control computer. Furthermore, at least one portion of the software components can have a parameterization unit which can be used to receive parameter values required for executing the function from the software component's interface. If, by way of example, a software component implements a control algorithm, then the interface can be used to transfer parameter values to the software component's WO 03/014850 19a PCT/EPO2/ 083 53 parameterization unit, such as an adjustment time, a lead time WO 03/014850 20 PCT/EP02/08353 Sor gain factors. These parameter values can thus be 3 altered, and hence the control algorithm can be Soptimized on line, during execution of the software Scomponent as well, for example. In this case, it is not necessary for such a functionality for parameterizing the software components to be provided in the process Cl control computer or in a separate system, for example.

00 The additional functions described above of message processing, alarm handling, diagnosis, operator control and monitoring, and parameterization, which are each implemented by the software components as integral parts thereof, thus make the previously known and required, correspondingly specialized systems superfluous in practise. Instead of specific message and alarm processing systems, diagnosis systems, operator control and monitoring systems and engineering systems, this embodiment of the invention has specific views of the software components, with each view representing one of said functions. The views can be retrieved directly by accessing the software components' interface. Advantageously, the aforementioned views of the software components are accessed by the client computer, which is preferably a 25 universal computer which uses an Internet browser, preferably having JAVA capability, to access the process control computer via the Internet or the intranet using Internet technology and retrieves and visualizes the appropriate views of the software components.

Advantageously, essentially all of the functionality required for controlling and monitoring a technical installation is integrated in the process control computer.

This reduces the complexity of the process control system, particularly with regard to the nun]~r of subsystems therein.

WO 03/014850 21 PCT/EP02/08353 N With particular advantage, all of the process data Swhich are fundamental to monitoring and controlling the Stechnical installation and are processed in the process Scontrol computer have a respective dedicated URL address associated with them, which means that the client computer can be used to access at least portions C1 of these process data directly.

00 C( Said URL addressing mechanism is known particularly from the area of the Internet. By inputting a URL O (Internet) address in an Internet browser, it is thus possible to access portions of the process data directly. Using the client computer, this allows input of a URL address in the client computer's Internet browser so as to retrieve, by way of example, the current value of the flow through a pump, the current speed of a motor, data in an archive in the process control system etc. in the technical installation directly via the Internet.

Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in more detail below, where: FIGURE 1 shows a schematic illustration of an inventive process control system for operating a technical installation, where the control software is centralized in the process control computer, FIGURE 2 shows a schematic illustration of an inventive process control system for operating a technical installation, where the control software is distributed over a plurality of systems, and FIGURE 3 shows a schematic illustration of the control software for an inventive process control system which is formed from a plurality of software components.

WO 03/014850 21a PCT/EP02/08353 F- Figure 1 shows a process control system 5 which comprises a process control computer 7, a client Scomputer 20 and a 00 WO 03/014850 22 PCT/EP02/08353 Fnumber of sensors S and actuators A arranged close to 3 or in the technical installation SThe process control computer 7 is used for monitoring and controlling the technical installation 25; it has a web server 9 which has been used to set up a connection CI to the Internet 00 C The measured variables M arising in the technical installation 25 are recorded by the sensors S and are Stransmitted as measurement data D to the process control computer 7 via a radio link F using a TCP/IP protocol. Implemented in the process control computer 7 is the control software SP for the inventive process control system. This control software SP implements the functions which are required for operating the technical installation 25 by reading in and processing the measurement data D and transmitting control commands C via the radio link F. The control commands C result in adjustments E in the technical installation by means of the actuators A.

The process control computer 7 is operated using a real-time operating system 11, which means that the processing operations taking place in the process control computer 7 are deterministic, so that it is known in advance and is certain within which time interval a particular processing operation can be performed with certainty. This means that the process control computer 7 can also implement time-critical functions, for which a deterministic program response from the control software is indispensable. The process control computer 7 is also configured in redundant form, so as to be failsafe, such that an error arising in the process control computer 7 does not result in failure thereof and hence in a loss of its function. In such an instance of error, the. process control computer 7 can continue to be operated virtually without delay WO 03/014850 22a PCT/EP02/08353 C and without loss of data. To this end, the process control computer can have, by way of example, Sfundamental hardware and software parts a plurality of c times 00

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WO 03/014850 23 PCT/EP02/08353 N and can also comprise a control unit which, in the 12 event of an error, coordinates the parts which are C4 still functional such that virtually undelayed Soperation is maintained.

The functions of the control software SP which are C1 implemented in the process control computer 7 and also 00 the monitoring of the process data PD which are C fundamental to operation of the technical installation 25 are performed primarily by means of the client Scomputer 20, which comprises an Internet browser 22 for connection to the Internet In the case of the inventive process control system, it is thus no longer necessary for the components of the process control system to be situated virtually entirely in or at least very close to the technical installation. The use of the Internet and/or of a radio link the radio link being able to be covered by the Internet for communication between the components makes it possible for the process control system to be physically distributed over very long physical distances as well. The control software SP is preferably implemented in the programming language JAVA. The Internet browser 22 on the client computer has JAVA capability, which means that applications produced using the programming language JAVA can be executed in the Internet browser 22.

The process data PD in the process control computer 7 are respectively provided with a URL address, which means that the client computer 20 can retrieve a desired process data item or a plurality of desired process data directly via the Internet 15 by inputting a URL address associated with a particular process data item in the Internet browser 22. The use of the Internet 15 for communication between the process control computer 7 and the client computer 20 makes it WO 03/014850 23a PCT/EP02/08353 superfluous to implement a specific communication link, 3 such as a bus system, between said computers, since the SInternet already provides transmission mechanisms, such 00 WO 03/014850 24 PCT/EP02/08353 N as the TCP/IP transmission protocol, which are used by 3 the inventive process control system. Instead of or as Sa complement to the radio link F, the measurement data SD and/or the control commands C can also be transmitted via the Internet 15, preferably using TCP/IP transmission protocol. The radio link F can also be CI covered by the Internet.

00 C Figure 2, like figure i, shows a process control system 5 in accordance with the invention, with, unlike in O figure 1, field devices FD having a respective dedicated microprocessor additionally being provided, so that the control software SP for the process control system 5 can be distributed over the process control computer 7 and one or more field devices FD.

The field devices FD shown in figure 2 are referred to as intelligent field devices, because they have as already mentioned a dedicated microprocessor on which at least relatively simple, less complex control programs for the control software SP can be executed, particularly control programs with time-critical and/or security-related requirements.

The control software SP is formed from a number of software components The process control computer 7 and the field devices FD also have a virtual machine software program installed on them, so that at least one portion of the software components 30 of the control software SP can be executed both on the process control computer 7 and on the field devices FD without the need for the software components 30 to be aligned for this purpose. The client computer 20 is likewise intended to comprise a virtual machine software program, so that at least one portion of the software components 30 can also be executed on the client computer 20 without the need for WO 03/014850 24a PCT/EP02/08353 the software components 30 to be aligned for this purpose.

WO 03/014850 25 PCT/EP02/08353 N The virtual machine software program is a standard 3 execution environment for software components 30 of the control software SP, regardless of the hardware Splatform on which the virtual machine software program VM is installed. This means that it is possible to distribute software components 30 of the control CI software SP virtually arbitrarily over systems on which 00 a virtual machine software program is installed. The C-i use of intelligent field devices FD is particularly advantageous, since these field devices are usually Sinstalled close to or in the technical installation c-i and hence virtually no delays occur for command execution or when reading in data from the technical installation. In addition, the described distribution of the control software SP over the process control computer 7 and the intelligent field devices FD is advantageous because, in this case, the process control computer 7 can be relieved of the burden of time-critical and/or security-related control tasks, and hence it is possible to attain a reduction in the demands, particularly as regards availability and deterministic processing, on the process control computer.

S 25 Figure 3 shows the control software SP, formed from a number of software components 30, by way of example. In this case, each software component 30 implements a respective function intended for it. In addition, each software component 30 comprises byte code which can be executed directly without any prior compilation and loading operation on a destination computer, for example the process control computer and/or a field device FD. Each software component is independently executable in the sense that it requires no parallel execution of another software component in order to be executed. The control software SP shown by way of example in figure 3 is produced by connecting three software components 30. To this end, the interfaces of WO 03/014850 25a PCT/EP02/08353 o C(N the software components 30 are connected such that an 3 output OUT on the interface of the software component Sshown on the right in figure 3 is connected to an input c IN on the interface of the software component shown 00

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WO 03/014850 26 PCT/EP02/08353 CF on the left in the figure. In addition, an output OUT Son the interface of the software component shown on the left in figure 3 is connected to an input IN on the M software component shown in the center in figure 3. The overall function of the control software SP as a result of the connection can be used via an input IN and an Soutput OUT A plurality of control programs can be provided which are each designed like the control C software SP. These control programs can then interchange data with one another via said inputs and (N outputs IN and OUT Each software component 30 also has a message processing unit AV, a diagnosis unit DI, an operator control and monitoring unit BB and a parameterization unit PE.

Said units are also used to provide, in addition to the control functions implemented in the software components, associated message processing functions, diagnosis functions, operator control and monitoring functions and parameterization functions. This means that each software component 30 is self-contained, not only from a functional point of view but also from the point of view of the aforementioned additional functions of message processing, diagnosis, operator control and monitoring, and parameterization. These functions do not need to be implemented in separate, specialized systems, as is usual in the case of known process control systems, but rather are available to the control software SP, the software components even in the case of the smallest modules. Combining the signals from said units of the software components into a respective superordinate unit AV, DI, BB and PE then also makes the units provided for each individual software component available for connecting software components, which means that this connection to the WO 03/014850 26a PCT/EP02/08353 N outside acts and can be used like an individual software component c00 0 WO 03/014850 27 PCT/EP02/08353 CI The diagnosis unit DI or DI can also monitor the Sfunction and/or communication of the software component and also its dedicated parameter values itself, Swhich means that it can be executed more or less under its own monitoring and independently. As already mentioned, the software components 30 are each directly c executable without the need for a prior compilation 00 operation and subsequent loading operation for this CI purpose. This also applies to the executability of functions which have been put together from at least C two software components; the software components 30 are thus instantiated directly while a function is still being configured. The diagnosis unit DI and/or DI can be used by the software components 30 for automatically executing extensive diagnosis and/or test operations during the actual configuration, without the need for such diagnosis and/or test routines which relate to the function of the respective software components 30 to be processed by a separate unit and/or a separate test program.

In addition, a software component 30 can also be formed by a graphical control and visualization module ("faceplate") which is associated with an installation S) 25 component of the technical installation and implements graphical representation thereof for operator control and monitoring (installation component image with current process data values and also command input means for control purposes).

Another software component 30, which comprises a control program for an installation component, for example, can then interact directly via its interface with the faceplate's interface. The communication between a software component 30 and a software component which is in the form of a faceplate, particularly when using the Internet as the communication channel, is advantageously bundled at WO 03/014850 27a PCT/EP02/08353 o first, i.e. data interchange between a plurality of .0 software components is implemented by initially I transmitting the data which are to be interchanged in Sthe form of an entire data packet and splitting 00

CO

oo

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WO 03/014850 28 PCT/EP02/08353 CF the data contained in the data packet back over the 3 corresponding target software components at the Sdestination. The data interchange between software Scomponents 30 in any form can take place using the described bundling and resplitting of the data. In this O case, data interchange can take place either cyclically or under event control; it is thus possible to transmit 00 particular data either at fixed intervals of time or C1 just when there is a triggering event, e.g. a change of operating state. With particular advantage, the C communication as between the software components is handled as a hybrid form comprising cyclic and eventcontrolled data transmission.

To optimize processing of the functions provided by the software components 30, advantageously only those software components 30 are executed for which the associated input signals, particularly those applied to the inputs IN and/or IN, have changed since said software components were last executed. Otherwise, it is possible to revert to the output signals already ascertained since the last execution, which are applied to the outputs OUT and/or OUT, in particular. This reduces the necessary processing time for a function provided by a software component Besides the aforementioned forms, a software component can also be formed by an archive software program in which, in particular, the process data PD can be stored and retrieved, or by an alarm-raising software program which can be used to detect, in particular, critical values for at least one portion of the process data PD and to display them in a suitable form, for example using a text message on a screen and/or using an audible signal.

Claims

1. A method for operating a technical installation having a number of field devices (FD) for monitoring and controlling components of the technical installation at least one process control Cl computer for monitoring and controlling the 00 technical installation and at least one C- communication channel by means of which the field devices (FD) are connected to the process control Scomputer the field devices (FD) transmitting to the process control computer measurement data (D) which arise in the technical installation (25) and describe the operating state of at least one of the components and receiving control commands from the prbcess control computer, characterized in that measurement-data and control commands are transmitted between at least one portion of the field devices and the process control computer via the communication channel using a TCP/IP protocol (TCP/IP).

2. The method as claimed in claim i, characterized in that the communication channel comprises the Internet (15) and/or an intranet and/or a radio link

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the process control computer (7) comprises a web server for connection to the Internet (15) and/or an intranet, and operator control and/or monitoring functions of the technical installation which are implemented in the process control computer by means of software, are executed using a client computer which comprises an Internet browser (22) and is connected to the Internet and/or intranet, by means of Internet access to the process control computer (7) WO 03/014850 30 PCT/EPO2/08353

4. The method as claimed in one of claim 3, characterized in that the operator control and/or monitoring functions are put together from software components (30) which each contain directly executable software code.

The method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that at least one of the operator control and/or monitoring functions is put together from at least two software components (30) and is executed without any compilation and loading operation taking place for this operator control and/or monitoring function beforehand on that computer on which this function is executed.

6. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to where essentially all of the process data (PD) for the technical installation which are processed in the process control computer are respectively assigned a URL address (URL).

7. A process control system for operating a technical installation comprising the following parts: a) at least one process control computer for monitoring and controlling the technical installation which process control computer comprises a web server which can be used to set up a connection to the Internet (15) and/or to an intranet such that process data (PD) arising in the process control computer can be transmitted via the Internet (15) and/or intranet and data can be received from the Internet and/or intranet, b) at least one client computer (20) for operator control and/or monitoring of the technical installation via the Internet (15) and/or an intranet using an Internet browser (22) which is installed on the client computer and can be used WO 03/014850 30a PCT/EP02/08353 1- 0 0 CN to connect the client computer (20) to the Internet (15) and/or intranet, and c) a number of sensors and actuators which M are arranged close to or in the technical installation and are used 00 WO 03/014850 31 PCT/EP02/08353 to record measured variables in the technical 3 installation and to make adjustments to 4 components in the technical installation which are connected to the process control computer via at least one communication channel and transmit measurement data to said process C1 control computer and receive control commands (C) 00 from said process control computer.

8. The process control system as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the communication channel comprises a radio link and/or a bus link and/or the Internet (15) and/or an intranet.

9. The process control system as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the measurement data and/or control commands are transmitted via the communication channel using a TCP/IP protocol.

The process control system as claimed in one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the process control computer is operated using a real-time operating system (11) and is configured in redundant form such that at least one error occurring during operation of the process control computer does not result in loss of the functionality of the process control computer and operation of the process control computer in such a case of error can be continued practically without delay and without loss of data.

11. The process control system as claimed in one of claims 7 to characterized in that at least a first portion of the control software (SP) required for controlling the WO 03/014850 31a PCT/EP02/08353 C technical installation is installed and can be executed on the process control computer. M

12. The process control system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the process control system c comprises at least one field device (FD) for 00 Oq OD OD WO 03/014850 32 PCT/EP02/08353 Fmonitoring and controlling components of the technical 3 installation which field device has a second Sportion of the control software (SP) required for Mc, controlling the technical installation and has at least one microprocessor which can be used to execute the second portion of the control software on the field (1 device the field device (FD) reading in, 00 preprocessing and transmitting to the process control C- computer the technical installation's measured variables recorded by the sensors and receiving, Spreprocessing and transmitting to the actuators the control commands from the process control computer (7)

13. The process control system as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the control software (SP) is formed from a number of software components (30) which have the following properties: a) each software component (30) implements a respectively associated function of the control software (SP), b) each software component (30) comprises byte code which is executable on a target computer directly S 25 without a preceding compilation and loading operation, c) each software component (30) is executable independently in the sense that it does not require execution of another software component in parallel in order to be executed, and d) each software component (30) has a respective interface which can be used to set up at least one connection from a first software component to a second software component and/or a connection to the web server and/or a connection to at least one sensor and/or actuator the interfaces being compatible with one another such that setting up the connection does not require any WO 03/014850 32a PCT/EP02/08353 F< alignment of signals which are transmitted via the connection, but rather inputs (IN) and/or outputs S(OUT) on the interface of the first software Scomponent can be connected directly to outputs (OUT) and inputs (IN) on the interface of the second software component. 00 WO 03/014850 33 PCT/EPO2/08353 N

14. The process control system as claimed in 3 claim 13, Scharacterized in that the process control computer (7) Sand the client computer (20) comprise a virtual machine software program which means that at least one portion of the software components (30) is executable C1 both on the process control computer and on the 00 client computer (20) without the need for alignment of C the software components (30) for this purpose.

The process control system as claimed in claim 12 in conjunction with claim 14, characterized in that the field device (FD) comprises the virtual machine software program which means that at least one portion of the software components is also executable on the field device (FD) without the need for alignment of the software components (30) for this purpose.

16. The process control system as claimed in one of claims 13 to characterized in that at least one portion of the software components (30) respectively has a message processing unit assigned on the basis of the respectively implemented function, and/or a diagnosis unit (DI) and/or an operator control and monitoring unit (BB) and/or a parameterization unit (PE) and these units are accessible via the software component's interface.

17. The process control system as claimed in one of claims 7 to 16, characterized in that essentially all of the functionality required for controlling and monitoring a technical installation (25) is integrated in the process control computer (7) WO 03/014850 34 PCT/EP02/08353 C

18. The process control system as claimed in one f of claims 7 to 17, Scharacterized in that all of the process data (RD) c which are fundamental to monitoring and controlling the technical installation (25) and are processed in the o process control computer have a respective C1 dedicated URL address (URL) associated with them, which 00 0 means that the client computer (20) can be used to C-i access at least portions of these process data (PD) directly. Dated 23 February, 2007 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON