Using OPC UA to automatically generate process graphics

摘要

A method and device for generating a set of graphical objects to be displayed by using OPC UA (Unified Architecture) specification. The method includes indicating, by using OPC UA nodes, graphical objects to be displayed, the graphical objects representing physical components of a monitored process. Further, the method includes indicating, by using OPC UA references, how an indicated graphical object should be interconnected to another indicated graphical object when displayed. Next, the respective OPC UA node is associated with a corresponding predetermined graphical object, the set of graphical objects is generated from the associations and the individual graphical objects of the set is interconnected in accordance with the indicated interconnections. Finally, the generated set of graphical objects is displayed.

主权项

1. A device for providing a graphical representation of an industrial process to be monitored using OPC UA (Unified Architecture), the device being arranged to:
store a library of graphical objects on non-transitory computer-readable media that represent physical components of the industrial process; create a user generated script specifying OPC UA nodes to be included in the graphical representation, with each OPC UA node in the script representing a different physical component of the industrial process, the script also having OPC UA references indicating how graphical objects should be interconnected to one another when displayed; compile text entered into the script to automatically generate a set of graphical objects from the stored library by associating each OPC UA node in the script with a corresponding graphical object in the stored library, OPC UA references in the script determining how each graphical object in the generated set of graphical objects is interconnected to another graphical object in the generated set of graphical objects; display the generated set of graphical objects on a display, said set of graphical objects representing physical components being monitored in the industrial process, each of the generated set of graphical objects connected to one or more OPC servers handling OPC data for the represented physical component; and assign a data value to at least one of the displayed graphical objects, wherein the assigned data value is of a write-type indicating that the assigned data value is sent to the physical component corresponding to said at least one displayed graphical object for controlling a property of the physical component stipulated by a first OPC UA attribute.