System and method for automation system configuration

A computer-implemented configuration method for configuring process components of a process automation system used to control a technical process, comprising:

• receiving a structural automation diagram (PID1) wherein the diagram (PID1) includes a plurality of process component symbols representing process components of the automation system with each process component symbol being associated with a corresponding process component type, and further includes interconnections between the process component symbols, each interconnection representing a physical connection between respective process components;
• for at least a subset of the plurality of process component symbols, generating a plurality of corresponding process object instances with the corresponding process component types wherein a particular component type defines at least an interlock property and/or an operating condition in an interface of the corresponding process object instance, wherein both of a Boolean type and where the interlock property of a particular selected process object instance leads to a switch off condition for the particular process component and the operating condition of the particular process component prevents a switch on condition so that interlock values of other process components force the particular process component to be switched off and operating condition values of other process components allow the particular process component to be switched on;
• for a particular process object instance representing a particular process component:
• discovering, by using the interconnections of the diagram (PID1), one or more further process object instances which represent process components that are physically connected with the particular process component;
• querying the interfaces of the discovered further process object instances and generating a list of process object instances, the list includes the discovered process object instances which have an interlock property and/or an operating condition that is relevant for the particular process object instance by having corresponding counterparts in the particular process object instance, the process object instances in the list have an output that directly affects an input of the particular process component or an input that directly affects an output of the particular process component, and where an interlock property is relevant for an operating condition of the particular process object instance;
• obtaining a selection of one or more listed process object instances including checking whether there is a match of the respective interfaces so that a dependency between the process object instances can be automatically derived;
• and
• connecting the interfaces of one or more selected process object instances with the interface of the particular process object instance, accordingly, wherein the corresponding inputs and outputs of the corresponding process object instance interfaces are connected to enable the exchange of corresponding control signals.

A computer program product that when loaded into a memory of a computing device and executed by at least one processor of the computing device executes the steps of the computer implemented method, the method including:

• receiving a structural automation diagram (PID1) wherein the diagram (PID1) includes a plurality of process component symbols representing process components of the automation system with each process component symbol being associated with a corresponding process component type, and further includes interconnections between the process component symbols, each interconnection representing a physical connection between respective process components;
• for at least a subset of the plurality of process component symbols, generating a plurality of corresponding process object instances with the corresponding process component types wherein a particular component type defines at least an interlock property and/or an operating condition in an interface of the corresponding process object instance, wherein both of a Boolean type and where the interlock property of a particular selected process object instance leads to a switch off condition for the particular process component and the operating condition of the particular process component prevents a switch on condition so that interlock values of other process components force the particular process component to be switched off and operating condition values of other process components allow the particular process component to be switched on;
• for a particular process object instance representing a particular process component:
• discovering, by using the interconnections of the diagram (PID1), one or more further process object instances which represent process components that are physically connected with the particular process component;
• querying the interfaces of the discovered further process object instances and generating a list of process object instances, the list includes the discovered process object instances which have an interlock property and/or an operating condition that is relevant for the particular process object instance by having corresponding counterparts in the particular process object instance, the process object instances in the list have an output that directly affects an output of the particular process component or an input that directly affects an output of the particular process component, and where an interlock property is relevant for an operating condition of the particular process object instance;
• obtaining a selection of one or more listed process object instances including checking whether there is a match of the respective interfaces so that a dependency between the process object instances can be automatically derived;
• and
• connecting the interfaces of one or more selected process object instances with the interface of the particular process object instance, accordingly, wherein the corresponding inputs and outputs of the corresponding process object instance interfaces are connected to enable the exchange of corresponding control signals.