Method for integrating at least one field device into a network of automation technology

1. A method for integrating at least one field device into a network of automation technology having a plurality of field devices, which are connected with one another via at least one data bus, on which a bus protocol is running, arranged distributed in an automated plant, wherein accessing of the field devices occurs via a field access unit, which communicates with at least one automation/integration platform and at least one web server of a service provider, the method comprising:

providing for each field device a virtual image of the field device in a database;

the virtual image describes the field device to be integrated into the automated plant comprehensively relative to its field device specific and application-specific properties in the automated plant;

transmitting, preferably at run time, via cloud-computing web services, or Internet based services, automatically or on query, the virtual image of the field device with concrete field device- and application-specific properties into the field device; and

the field device performs its function in the automated plant, as soon as it is integrated into the network;

wherein a report is sent from the cloud based web server to the operator of the automated plant, when, in the automated plant offline, a change in the configuration/parameter data of one of the field devices has been performed or, when on the manufacturer-side, the original version of the field device has been replaced by a modified/revised version; and

wherein the operator is provided with a synchronizing mechanism to assure that all field devices integrated in the automated plant are stored on the account of the operator of the automated plant.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the field access unit continuously and in predetermined time intervals scans at least in individual bus segments of the data bus via a listener function a current live-list, respectively field device configuration, of the corresponding bus segment, respectively of the network, in order to detect current changes in the field device configuration.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

for the case, in which a customer would like to integrate at least one new field device into the existing network, it is provided than an account for a web based portal associated with the customer is opened by the service provider, or by the field device provider; and

access to the virtual image of the at least one newly field device to be integrated can occur via the Web based portal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the operator of the automated plant receives notice, when updated configuration/parameter data are ready to be downloaded from the web server of the service provider.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the operator of the automated plant receives a calculation of the services, which it is using at the service provider.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:

the field device access unit transmits via the automation/integration platform a report to the service provider, as soon as a change of said live-list is detected in the data bus segment, respectively in the network ( 9 ).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:

the service provider connects itself via the automation/integration platform with the field access unit, as soon as the service provider obtains the report concerning the change in the data bus segment, respectively in the network, so that the corresponding, currently not present, virtual image of the field device is made available via the cloud-computing web service.

8. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein:

after transmission of a report from the field access unit to the service provider that said live-list of the field devices in the data bus segment, respectively in the network has changed, based on unique identification data, a unique setup-configuration associated with each field device, which describes the particular field device comprehensively relative to its field device specific and application-specific properties in the automated plant and which is stored in the cloud based web server, is loaded into the corresponding field device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein:

for the case, in which, based on the live list, at least one unknown field device is identified, which is not mentioned on the account of the customer and which originates from a field device manufacturer other than the service provider, the cloud based Web-server of the service provider adds via the field access unit and the automation/integration platform identification data present concerning the foreign field device to the account of the customer, so that the customer can place the field device in operation via the cloud based Web services.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:

the customer, after obtaining a corresponding report that an unknown field device is integrated in the automated plant and no virtual image exists therefor, performs a configuring of the unknown field device and transmits the configuration data to the cloud based web server of the service provider.

11. A system with a plurality of field devices of automation technology for performing a method for integrating at least one field device into a network of automation technology having a plurality of field devices, which are connected with one another via at least one data bus, on which a bus protocol is running, arranged distributed in an automated plant, wherein accessing of the field devices occurs via a field access unit, which communicates with at least one automation/integration platform and at least one web server of a service provider,

the method comprising:

providing for each field device a virtual image of the field device in a database; the virtual image describes the field device to be integrated into the automated plant comprehensively relative to its field device specific and application-specific properties in the automated plant; the service provider transmits, preferably at run time, via cloud-computing web services, or Internet based services, automatically or on query, the virtual image of the field device with concrete field device and application properties into the field device; and the field device performs its function in the automated plant, as soon as it is integrated into the network; wherein a report is sent from the cloud based web server to the operator of the automated plant, when, in the automated plant offline, a change in the configuration/parameter data of one of the field devices has been performed or, when on the manufacturer-side, the original version of the field device has been replaced by a modified/revised version; and wherein the operator is provided with a synchronizing mechanism to assure that all field devices integrated in the automated plant are stored on the account of the operator of the automated plant;

the system comprising:

at least one field access unit; and

at least one automation/integration platform, wherein:

said field devices are connected with one another at the field level via a first data bus, on which communication is running via at least a first bus protocol;

said field access unit listens to communication on said first data bus and, when communication with said automation/integration platform occurs via at least a second data bus, on which at least a second bus protocol is running, performs conversion of the two bus protocols.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

the automation/integration platform is an OPC-UA server, which contains a server logic and a logic machine, which forwards the configuration/parameter data describing a field device corresponding to a well defined information/logic model for a defined type of field device.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

the data bus is the Internet and/or an intranet and the additional data bus is a fieldbus of automation technology, via which the field devices communicate with the field access unit at the field level.