Method and system for performing a configuration of an automation system

A configuration system configured to perform a configuration or reconfiguration of applications run by an automation system, the configuration system comprising:

• (a) a processing unit configured to process at least one natural language statement of a user requirement input by a user concerning a control and/or monitoring functionality of the automation system based on a user ontology of the user and/or an automation system ontology of the automation system to generate a formal requirements specification;
• (b) a matching unit configured to match the generated formal requirements specification and formal component specifications read from a component library to derive a configuration deployment comprising one or more suitable components with configurations fulfilling an input user requirement;
• and
• (c) a model manager;
• wherein the user ontology comprises a user vocabulary used by the user for formulating a natural language statement,
• wherein the automation system ontology comprises a system vocabulary describing at least one of elements of the automation system and relations between elements of the automation system,
• wherein the model manager is adapted to automatically align the user vocabulary and system vocabulary, and
• wherein the configuration system configures or reconfigures the applications run by the automation system using the derived configuration deployment.

A configuration tool for an automation system, the configuration tool configured to

• process at least one natural language statement of a user requirement input by a user concerning a control and/or monitoring functionality of the automation system, based on a user ontology of the user and an automation system ontology of the automation system, to generate a formal requirements specification;
• wherein the user ontology comprises a user vocabulary used by the user for formulating a natural language statement,
• wherein the automation system ontology comprises a system vocabulary describing at least one of elements of the automation system and relations between elements of the automation system;
• align the user vocabulary and system vocabulary automatically;
• match the generated formal requirements specification and a formal component specification read from a component library to derive a configuration deployment comprising one or more suitable components with configurations fulfilling an input user requirement;
• and
• configure the automation system using the derived configuration deployment.