Method and apparatus for configuring an automation system

US5592373A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Herbert Barthel · Herzogenaurach, DE
• Horst Daar · Erlangen, DE
• Hartmut Schuetz · Heroldsbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 24, 1994
• Grant date: Jan 7, 1997
• Expiry date: Oct 24, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B2219/13139
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for flexibly configuring an automation system for a technical process. The invention permits a user to determine a configuration for one or more peripheral channels of the automation system based on desired fault behaviors. In one embodiment of the invention, a user is prompted to specify a peripheral channel of the automation system to be configured, along with a required fault behavior for that peripheral channel. In other words, the user must specify how the peripheral channel is to handle the occurrence of a fault. Once the required fault behavior is identified, a programming unit accesses a knowledge base of stored configurations and associated fault behaviors to identify a configuration meeting the user-specified requirements. The programming unit then communicates instructions for configuring the peripheral channel to a user and/or actually configures a programmable controller of the automation system.