US 12,216,460 B2
Method for engineering and simulating an automation system via digital twins
Benjamin Lutz, Pfinztal (DE)
Assigned to SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Munich (DE)
Appl. No. 17/599,100
Filed by Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich (DE)
PCT Filed Mar. 23, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/057945
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 28, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/200870, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 102019204480.8 (DE), filed on Mar. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0163953 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 19/41885 (2013.01) [G05B 19/4185 (2013.01); G05B 19/41865 (2013.01); G05B 2219/23005 (2013.01); G05B 2219/25011 (2013.01); G05B 2219/25064 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for engineering an automation system for controlling a process in a technical plant, the automation system comprising a plurality of hardware components for performing display, operating and automation functions, said plurality of hardware components being interconnected via communication systems, the method comprising:
virtualizing, generating a digital twin which coexists with at least one real hardware component, instantiating and logically connecting said at least one real hardware component with other virtual or real components, said virtualizing, generating the digital twin which coexists with said at least one real hardware component, instantiating and logically connecting occurring in parallel with engineering of the at least one real hardware component which occurs independently of operation of the technical plant; and
distributing generated virtual components arbitrarily onto servers of the automation system such that the generated virtual components are configured, optimized and monitored by at least one client and such that, during the engineering of the at least one real hardware component occurring independently of the operation of the technical plant, switching between real components and virtual components to perform changes becomes possible.