Arrangement and method for secure execution of an automation program in a cloud computing environment

US11841698B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Markus Höfele · Mannheim, DE
• Peter Kob · Heroldsberg, DE
• Rolf Schrey · Mönchengladbach, DE
• Armin Zeltner · Weisendorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 23, 2020
• Grant date: Dec 12, 2023
• Expiry date: Jul 25, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B2219/31241
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Arrangement and method for securely executing an automation program in a cloud computing environment, wherein the automation program is installed on computer hardware in a public IT infrastructure, and wherein the computer hardware is connected via a data connection to a cloud server, where the connection and a dedicated runtime environment of the computer hardware are configured such that the automation program is transferrable onto the computer hardware and its execution can be monitored via the server and data connection, such that the automation program and sensitive information, i.e., recipes, instructions and/or method steps, contained therein can be executed in a protected environment, effective protection against interception is achieved and such that the dedicated hardware can be matched to a possibly pre-existing automation program so that existing automation programs can execute in the cloud or be made available without modification and further system tests, certifications and other costly adaptation steps.