Method for integrating an automation technology field device in a distributed ledger

A method for operating a field device of automation technology comprising:

• installing code on a specific amount of reserved memory space of firmware of a software container assigned to operating electronics of the field device and including a finite quantity of inputs to acquire data gathered or processed according to a plurality of parameters of the field device and a finite number of outputs which correspond to communication channels of the field device;
• executing the installed code via a specific amount of reserved main memory in the operating electronics that is required to execute the installed code and via a specific amount of processor runtime of the operating electronics that is reserved to execute the installed code;
• establishing a communication link to a distributed ledger via at least one of the outputs;
• and
• integrating the field device into the distributed ledger via a login routine of the installed code containing a network address of the distributed ledger and information specific as to how the field device has to behave in the distributed ledger including whether the field device forms a light node in the distributed ledger;
• wherein the integrating the field device into the distributed ledger further includes integrating the field device as one of a full node or the light node in the distributed ledger via a reserved resource of the operating electronics specific to functionality of the field device as the light node in the distributed ledger;
• wherein the specific amount of reserved memory space, the specific amount of reserved main memory and the specific amount of processor runtime are maintained by the software container free to integrate the field device into the distributed ledger, wherein the software container maintains resources of the operating electronics free to process and transmit the data gathered or processed according to the parameters of the field device;
• and
• wherein the code is user-selectable for different distributed ledgers, including from third-party providers, and is overwritable as desired without overwriting the firmware.

A field device of automation technology, the field device including operating electronics and a plurality of parameters, wherein the operating electronics are configured to operate the field device on the basis of the parameters and to gather or process data on the basis of the parameters, wherein firmware with a software container is assigned to the operating electronics, wherein the software container comprises:

• a finite quantity of inputs to acquire the data gathered or processed according to the parameters of the field device;
• a finite number of outputs which correspond to communication channels of the field device, wherein the communication channels are designed for connecting the field device to a higher-level communication network;
• a specific amount of reserved memory space in the operating electronics in order to install code;
• a specific amount of reserved main memory in the operating electronics that is required to execute the installed code;
• a specific amount of processor runtime of the operating electronics that is reserved to execute the installed code;
• wherein the software container is designed to execute the installed code and, by means of the code, to establish a communication link to the distributed ledger via at least one of the outputs via the higher-level communication network, to integrate the field device into the distributed ledger, and to process and/or combine at least a portion of the gathered or processed data into result data, and to transmit the result data to the distributed ledger;
• wherein the code includes a network address of the distributed ledger, and a login routine for the distributed ledger including access data and field device behavior information specific as to how the field device has to behave in the distributed ledger;
• and
• wherein the specific amount of reserved memory space for installing the code, and the specific amount of reserved main memory and the specific amount of processor runtime for executing the code, are maintained by the software container free for the integration of the field device into the distributed ledger, and the software container maintains resources of the operating electronics free to process or combine the at least a portion of the gathered or processed data into result data, and transmit the result data;
• and
• wherein the code is user-selectable for different distributed ledgers, including from third-party providers, and is overwritable as desired without overwriting the firmware.