Automatic discovery of relationships among equipment through automated cycling and observation

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• a) identifying a plurality of data sources associated with an automation environment;
• b) performing a first recording of the state of each data source;
• c) selecting a data source from the plurality of data sources;
• d) automatically issuing, by a command issuing component, a first command to cycle the selected data source from a first state to a second state, wherein the first command to cycle comprises a command to power down the selected data source, a command to power up the selected data source, a command to change one or more parameters or configurations of the selected data source, or a combination thereof;
• e) subsequent to issuing the first command, performing a second recording of the state of each data source;
• f) comparing the first recording to the second recording to detect one or more events or one or more state changes in one or more non-selected data sources caused by cycling the selected data source from the first state to the second state, wherein the events or state changes are indicative of a relationship between the selected data source and the one or more non-selected data sources;
• g) issuing a second command to cycle the selected data source from the second state to the first state;
• h) subsequent to issuing the second command, performing a third recording of the state of each data source;
• i) comparing the second recording to the third recording to detect one or more events or one or more state changes in one or more non-selected data sources caused by cycling the selected data source from the second state to the first state;
• and
• j) determining one or more relationships between the selected data source and the one or more non-selected data sources based on the one or more detected events, the one or more detected state changes, or both, and providing the determined one or more relationships as outputs.

A system comprising at least one computing device comprising at least one processor, a memory, and instructions executable by the at least one processor to create an application comprising:

• a) a software module identifying a plurality of data sources associated with an automation environment;
• b) a command issuing component automatically issuing a first set of one or more commands to cycle a current data source in the plurality of data sources, wherein the first set of the one or more commands to cycle comprise a command to power down the data source, a command to power up the data source, a command to reboot the data source, a command to change one or more parameters or configurations of the data source, or a combination thereof;
• c) a software module monitoring the automation environment for events or state changes caused by cycling the current data source in the data sources, wherein the events or state changes are indicative of a relationship between the current data source and a non-cycled data source;
• d) an events or state changes detecting component detecting one or more events or one or more state changes sources caused by cycling the current data source in one or more other data sources in the plurality of data sources;
• e) a software module determining one or more relationships between the current data source and the one or more other data based on the detected events or state changes, and providing the determined one or more relationships as outputs;
• and
• f) a software module feeding the outputs of the determined one or more relationships to the command issuing component causing the command issuing component to automatically issue a second set of one or more commands to cycle one or more data sources based on the outputs.

A system comprising at least one computing device comprising at least one processor, a memory, and instructions executable by the at least one processor to create an application comprising:

• a) a software module identifying a plurality of data sources associated with an automation environment;
• b) a software module performing a first recording of the state of each data source;
• c) a software module selecting a data source from the plurality of data sources;
• d) a command issuing component issuing a first command to cycle the selected data source from a first state to a second state, wherein the first command to cycle comprises a command to power down the selected data source, a command to power up the selected data source, a command to change one or more parameters or configurations of the selected data source, or a combination thereof;
• e) a software module, subsequent to issuing the first command, performing a second recording of the state of each data source;
• f) a software module comparing the first recording to the second recording to detect one or more events or one or more state changes in one or more non-selected data sources caused by cycling the selected data source from the first state to the second state, wherein the events or state changes are indicative of a relationship between the selected data source and the one or more non-selected data source;
• g) a software module issuing a second command to cycle the selected data source from the second state to the first state;
• h) a software module, subsequent to issuing the second command, performing a third recording of the state of each data source;
• i) a software module comparing the second recording to the third recording to detect one or more events or one or more state changes in one or more non-selected data sources caused by cycling the selected data source from the second state to the first state;
• and
• j) a software module determining one or more relationships between the selected data source and the one or more non-selected data sources based on the one or more detected events, the one or more detected state changes, or both, and providing the determined one or more relationships as outputs.