A field device and method for starting up an industrial automation network, wherein to allow virtual start-up of at least one field device, an field device integration package is provided, whose user interface plug-in has an extension that allows a software tool to access a simulation model for the behavior of the at least one field device, and upon virtual start-up, the simulation model is used to reproduce the response of the field device, where a process model or interfacing of an external process model via a co-simulation coupling can also be used to stimulate the reproduced field device behavior, and where because the models with the FDI package are provided by the field device manufacturer, correct simulation and hence minimization of the risks upon start-up of industrial installations can be expected.

Described is a method for changing the display mode of a device access software with which components of a fieldbus system can be accessed. The device access software includes a frame application and at least one software component integrated into the frame application, wherein between the frame application and the at least one software component an interface is provided. The method includes switching the frame application from a first display mode into a second display mode different from the first display mode and changing at least one parameter in the software components via the relevant interface, wherein the change of the at least one parameter effects a switching of the display mode from the first display mode into the second display mode.

The present disclosure relates to a framework application for device access software. The framework application can be installed on a host. At least one driver can be integrated into the framework application, said driver being designed for access to an associated field bus component of a field bus network. For each integrated driver, the framework application has a standard interface, via which data can be exchanged between the driver and the framework application. For at least some of the integrated drivers, the framework application has one or more proprietary interfaces in addition to the standard interface, via which proprietary interfaces data can be exchanged between the respective drivers and the framework application. Information regarding additional functionalities that are supported by the driver or by an associated field bus component can be transferred from the driver to the framework application via at least one of the proprietary interfaces.

The invention enables a device type manager (DTM) to implement through a field device tool (FDT) frame application, field device management capabilities that are outside the defined operating capabilities of the FDT frame application. The enables controlling a field device, through a device type manager (DTM) configured to control a field device based on control instructions received from a field device tool (FDT) frame application. The FDT frame application and the DTM and/or a DTM wrapper within the DTM may be implemented based on a first runtime environment and a first set of specifications that defines a first set of operating capabilities for the FDT frame application. The DTM wrapper may be configured to communicate with the FDT frame application based on one or more messaging protocols defined by the first set of specifications and further to communicate through inter-process communication, with (i) a DTM framework controller configured to implement the communication and control instructions that enable the DTM to communicate with or control the field device, wherein the DTM framework controller is configured for implementation based on a second runtime environment that is different from the first runtime environment, and (ii) a DTM user interface controller configured to implement one or more user interface controls for controlling the field device.

A method for managing and configuring field devices of an automation system has a configuration tool designed to physically detect a field device in the automation system, to logically integrate said device in the automation system and to configure it in the automation system, wherein for this purpose the configuration tool draws on a predefined first information package that is specific to the field device and describes at least some of the functions and data of the field device. To simplify communication between the configuration tool and the field devices, FDI-based data packages may be formed from the predefined field device-specific information package and transmitted by one or more FDT-based communications components may be exchanged between the configuration tool and the field device.

The present disclosure relates to a framework application for device access software. The framework application can be installed on a host. At least one driver can be integrated into the framework application, said driver being designed for access to an associated field bus component of a field bus network. For each integrated driver, the framework application has a standard interface, via which data can be exchanged between the driver and the framework application. For at least some of the integrated drivers, the framework application has one or more proprietary interfaces in addition to the standard interface, via which proprietary interfaces data can be exchanged between the respective drivers and the framework application. Information regarding additional functionalities that are supported by the driver or by an associated field bus component can be transferred from the driver to the framework application via at least one of the proprietary interfaces.

Described is a method for changing the display mode of a device access software with which components of a fieldbus system can be accessed. The device access software includes a frame application and at least one software component integrated into the frame application, wherein between the frame application and the at least one software component an interface is provided. The method includes switching the frame application from a first display mode into a second display mode different from the first display mode and changing at least one parameter in the software components via the relevant interface, wherein the change of the at least one parameter effects a switching of the display mode from the first display mode into the second display mode.

A method for implementing at least one additional function of a field device in automation technology, wherein the field device is parametered and/or configured via a servicing device using a device description, wherein the method has the following method steps: the original device description, which comprehensively describes the field device, is made available; the original device description is expanded by a script or a supplemental device description fragment; wherein the script or the device description fragment comprehensively describes the additional function; and the field device is serviced from the servicing device by means of the expanded device description and is able to execute the additional function.

A data acquisition unit for an automation system, with at least one communications interface which is designed for connection to an operating bus and is set up to receive control commands from a field unit and data from operating bus participants with a processing device which is designed for the processing of the received control commands and/or data to give processing results, and with a memory device designed for the storage of processing results.

A field device and method for starting up an industrial automation network, wherein to allow virtual start-up of at least one field device, an field device integration package is provided, whose user interface plug-in has an extension that allows a software tool to access a simulation model for the behavior of the at least one field device, and upon virtual start-up, the simulation model is used to reproduce the response of the field device, where a process model or interfacing of an external process model via a co-simulation coupling can also be used to stimulate the reproduced field device behavior, and where because the models with the FDI package are provided by the field device manufacturer, correct simulation and hence minimization of the risks upon start-up of industrial installations can be expected.