A field device includes components to communicate with a control and/or asset management system of a process control system or with other field devices using any of several different communication protocols such as several different internet protocol (IP) protocols. This architecture allows for a single version of a field device to be provided in automation or plant control systems that use any of these communication protocols, thus saving on inventory and product development costs. Moreover, the multi-protocol field device or a system using the multi-protocol field device can manage the asset (read and write parameterized data from and to the asset) using one protocol while at the same time communicating real-time process/factory automation information using a second and different protocol. Moreover, the field device may be able to communicate to other devices including other field devices and host devices using both of these protocols or other protocols for different purposes.

Meeting the safety requirements of automation systems in a more flexible manner, the invention provides a control and data transmission system for controlling safety-critical processes comprising a plurality of I/O modules connected via a first communication network to a gateway module. The gateway module is connected to a second communication network hierarchically superior to the first communication network and acts as a gateway between the first and the second communication networks. At least one of the I/O modules comprises a diagnosis unit for generating status data relating to the functional state of an input and/or output and/or of a process device. The gateway module and the I/O modules communicate via the first communication network in a safe manner to transfer status data and input and/or output data. The gateway module performs safety processing of the status data and/or of the input and/or output data.

Human-machine interface device (1), comprising: at least one input (12) configured to receive at least one biological electrical signal (S), in particular coming from at least the brain of at least one subject (13), an electronic circuit (11), electrically connected to the input (12) configured to electronically process the biological electrical signal (S), at least one I/O terminal (14), operatively connected to the electronic circuit (11) and configured at least to transmit a data signal (30) comprising the biological electrical signal (S) processed by the electronic circuit (11) and/or based on the biological electrical signal (S) processed by the electronic circuit (11) toward a machine (40), through a fieldbus (20), and/or configured to receive a data signal (30) from said fieldbus (20),
said human-machine interface device (1) being configured to transmit the data signal (30) and to receive further data signals (30) on/from a fieldbus, said electronic circuit (11) and said I/O terminal (14) being configured at least to process and retransmit the biological electric signal (S) substantially in real time.

A method for functionally secure connection identification for data exchange via a telegram between a source data service and a sink data service, wherein whether the time stamp of an incoming telegram is older than the time stamp of a predecessor telegram is determined, upon receipt of the predecessor telegram a monitoring counter being started and whether the currently incoming telegram has arrived within a monitoring time is additionally determined, where a local time stamp of a local time basis is compared with the associated time stamp of the incoming telegram and whether a comparison difference does not exceed a period of time is determined, a telegram arriving only being accepted as valid if the time stamp of the arriving telegram is greater than the time stamp of the telegram most recently accepted as valid, and data is valid if the checks are positive, otherwise a fail-safe reaction is triggered.

The present disclosure relates to automation technology. A first gateway is connected via a first communication network to a field deviceand a second gateway is connected to the field device via a second communication network. The first and the second gateway are connected to a control unit. The first communication network and the second communication network are connected to a control room. The control room switches over to the other communication network and establishes a communication connection therewith if a problem is detected in the previous communication connection. Communication access to the first gateway is implemented in the control unit, and communication access to the second gateway is implemented in the control unit via a second driver. The control unit continuously analyses the first communication network and the second communication network and in the event of a control room switchover, switches over to the gateway of that network.

A system for communication in an industrial environment. The system includes a server arrangement coupled, via a data communication network to network core, and devices. The system generates timing information for each of the devices using the server arrangement, the timing information is converted into timing packets to be received by each of the devices. The system broadcasts second encapsulated timing packets to each of the devices, via the network core. Communication channel of the data communication network performs first encapsulation of the timing packets and the network core performs second encapsulation of the first encapsulated timing packets. The system receives uplink data for communication from each of the plurality of devices based on the timing information and provide downlink data to the plurality of devices, corresponding thereto.

A method for detecting physical intrusion attack in an industrial control system based on analysis of signals on serial communication bus is provided. This method comprises of actively sending a detection signal to communication bus via a bus controller in a serial communication bus network, sampling and analyzing signals on the communication bus by a monitoring device, performing differential comparison with a standard signal stored in the monitoring device database, detecting an intrusion signal in difference signal based on noise reduction technology and weak signal detection technology, and according to a detection result of the intrusion signal caused by an external device to effectively determine whether there is an external malicious device in the system, and whether the system is subjected to a physical intrusion attack.

The present disclosure resides in a method for operating, installed in an automated plant, a field device, which is connected for communication with a field access unit by means of a first communication network, especially by means of a fieldbus of automation technology, comprising: invoking a link of the field device in a client computer, wherein the link is composed at least of a protocol field and a parameter field, wherein the invoking of the link initiates steps as follows: starting a first frame application associated with the protocol field of the link; transferring the link to the first frame application and extracting information contained in the parameter field by the first frame application; configuring a communication path between the client computer and the field device via the field access unit with application of the information; opening a device driver or a device description in the first frame application.

Web-based interaction with building automation is provided. The interaction, regardless of the access point, is browser based. For IP access, hypertext protocol (http) communications of the browser are performed. The web-enabled controller serves responses with building automation information. For non-IP access, a web-server operating as an application in the same device as the browser intercepts the http communication and reformats the communication as appropriate for the non-IP access. Based on a response from the building automation system, the device local web-server responds to the browser. For communicating across different types of networks in the building automation system, controllers may use the embedded web-server to reformat as needed and route requests. The same look, feel, functionality, and/or usability may be provided using the browser regardless of the connectivity to the building automation network.

A method for functionally secure connection identification for data exchange via a telegram between a source data service and a sink data service, wherein whether the time stamp of an incoming telegram is older than the time stamp of a predecessor telegram is determined, upon receipt of the predecessor telegram a monitoring counter being started and whether the currently incoming telegram has arrived within a monitoring time is additionally determined, where a local time stamp of a local time basis is compared with the associated time stamp of the incoming telegram and whether a comparison difference does not exceed a period of time is determined, a telegram arriving only being accepted as valid if the time stamp of the arriving telegram is greater than the time stamp of the telegram most recently accepted as valid, and data is valid if the checks are positive, otherwise a fail-safe reaction is triggered.