Configuration device and method for configuring data point communication for an industrial system

1. A method of configuring communication of a set of data points from producers of data points of an industrial automation control system, power distribution system, power generation system, and/or power transmission system to a consumer of data points, the method comprising:

receiving, by a configuration device, information on required data points, the required data points being a subset of all available data points and being the set of data points required by the consumer of data points; and

automatically determining, by the configuration device, a communication configuration of data points for transmission of the required data points from the producers to the consumer, wherein the automatically determining comprises determining a transmission path for each of the required data points based on protocols supported by the producers, the consumer, and nodes traversed on the transmission path from a producer to the consumer; and

automatically generating and outputting, by the configuration device, configuration data for the producer of a required data point and/or nodes traversed on the transmission path from the producer of a required data point to the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically determining the communication configuration of data points comprises automatically determining protocol parameters and protocol services.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically determining the communication configuration of data points comprises identifying protocols supported along a candidate transmission path from a producer of a required data point to the consumer.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising automatically generating configuration data for nodes along the candidate transmission path.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the configuration data are generated based on a template.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the template reflects a proprietary addressing scheme.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the communication configuration of data points is determined based on protocol stack capabilities.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein all communication links between the producer of a required data point and the consumer are configured concurrently.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the consumer comprises a human machine interface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the consumer comprises a control center.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the control center is a national control center or a regional control center of a power system.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising outputting data point information on data points that are available from at least one of the producers of data points, wherein receiving the information on required data points comprises receiving a user selection from the data point information.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the data point information includes graphical markings indicating data points for which receipt by the consumer is compulsory and data points for which receipt by the consumer is optional.

14. A configuration device adapted to configure communication of a set of data points from producers of data points of an industrial automation control system, power distribution system, power generation system, and/or power transmission system, the configuration device comprising:

an interface operative to receive information on required data points, the required data points being a subset of all available data points and being the set of data points required by a consumer of data points; and

at least one integrated circuit operative to:

automatically determine a communication configuration of data points for transmission of the required data points from the producers to the consumer, wherein the automatically determining comprises determining a transmission path for each of the required data points based on protocols supported by the producers, the consumer, and nodes traversed on the transmission path from a producer to the consumer, and

automatically generate and output configuration data for the producer of a required data point and/or nodes traversed on the transmission path from the producer of a required data point to the consumer.

15. The configuration device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one integrated circuit is operative to automatically determine by identifying protocols supported along a candidate transmission path from a producer of a required data point to the consumer.

16. An industrial automation control system, power distribution system, power generation system, and/or power transmission system, comprising:

a plurality of producers of data points;

a consumer of data points, the consumer in need of a set of data points; and

a configuration device comprising an integrated circuit,

the configuration device configured to receive information on required data points, the required data points being a subset of all available data points and being the set of data points needed by the consumer of data points, when the configuration device is further configured to: automatically determine a communication configuration of data points for transmission of the required data points from the producers to the consumer, wherein the automatically determining comprises determining a transmission path for each of the required data points based on protocols supported by the producers, the consumer, and nodes traversed on the transmission path from a producer to the consumer, and automatically generate and output, by the configuration device, configuration data for the producer of a required data point and/or nodes traversed on the transmission path from the producer of a required data point to the consumer.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the configuration device comprises:

an interface operative to receive information on the required data points; and

at least one integrated circuit operative to automatically determine the communication configuration of data points for transmission of the required data points from the producers to the consumer.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the consumer of data points is a national control center or a regional control center of a power system.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the consumer comprises a human machine interface.

20. A non-transitory memory storage for configuring a communication of a set of data points from producers of data points of an industrial automation control system, power distribution system, power generation system, and/or power transmission system to a consumer of data points, the non-transitory memory storage comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one integrated circuit of a configuration device, cause the configuration device to perform the method of:

receiving, by the configuration device, information on required data points, the required data points being a subset of all available data points and being the set of data points required by the consumer of data points;

automatically determining, by the configuration device, a communication configuration of data points for transmission of the required data points from the producers to the consumer, wherein the automatically determining comprises determining a transmission path for each of the required data points based on protocols supported by the producers, the consumer, and nodes traversed on the transmission path from a producer to the consumer; and

automatically generating and outputting, by the configuration device, configuration data for the producer of a required data point and/or nodes traversed on the transmission path from the producer of a required data point to the consumer.