Process control unit and method for interprocess exchange of process variables

A method for interprocess interchange of process variables within a process control unit in which there is provision for execution of a plurality of control processes, wherein at least one control process of the plurality of control processes is configured to control an industrial process taking place outside the process control unit, and wherein an interchange of process variables of a first control process of the plurality of control processes with at least one second control process of the plurality of control processes via an association module is effected, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the association module, at least one process variable transferred from the first control process of the plurality of control processes, wherein the at least one process variable comprises a process variable identification and a process variable value;
• ascertaining an association of a process variable of the at least one process variable to which the process variable is to be transferred based on an association rule in the association module;
• changing the association of the process variable by replacing the process variable identification of the process variable with a new process variable identification stipulated by the association rule;
• and
• transferring the process variable to at least one second control process of the plurality of control processes based on the association rule and the new process variable identification.

A non-transitory computer program product having a program code, wherein, when the program code is executed as a control process of a plurality of control processes in at least one processor of a process control unit, the program code causes the process control unit to:

• receive, by an association module of the process control unit, at least one process variable transferred from a first control process of the plurality of control processes, wherein the at least one process variable comprises a process variable identification and a process variable value;
• ascertain an association of a process variable of the at least one process variable to which the process variable is to be transferred based on an association rule in the association module;
• change the association of the process variable by replacing the process variable identification of the process variable with a new process variable identification stipulated by the association rule;
• and
• transfer the process variable to at least one second control process of the plurality of control processes based on the association rule and the new process variable identification,
• wherein the control process of the plurality of control processes is configured to control an industrial process taking place outside the process control unit.