Web System for the Remote Control and Execution of an IEC 61499 Application

Abstract

An important support in this direction came from the IEC 61499 standard [3]. It allows developing platform-independent, reusable and even self-configurable function blocks that give the possibility of exchanging information between interconnected controllers in a distributed network. Using the free FBDK tool for IEC 61499 application development and execution, this paper aims to further exploit the standard's benefits and develop a web-based system for the remote configuration and execution of a function block, with the results being sent to a specific device. This provides great flexibility and efficiency to the engineering process, as the distributed controller has access to greater computational power than its own resources. That way the system provides great accessibility and reliability in using a wide range of complex algorithms without the need of a controller upload and just by using an Ethernet communication link. Applications that are independent of the process time (like model learning, detecting optimal parameters, algorithm testing, plant risk analysis, image processing etc.) or the ones that don't have hard real-time constraints (like slow process control plants from the agriculture or biology domains, building management systems etc.) are the ones that can benefit most from the implementation based on such a remote execution system. IEC 61499 and FBDK Support in Implementing Remote WebControlled ApplicationsOne of the main paradigms behind the IEC 61499 standard refers to the development of truly distributed systems [6]. Abstract: Remote control and execution gives the possibility of designing applications where any controller can have access to high computational power and knowledge just by use of standard network interfaces. This work describes the structure and components of a system that allows a user to select an algorithm from a web library, configure the execution parameters and remotely control a plant application that is implemented based on the IEC 61499 standard. The system is based on open technologies like php, Java and IEC 61499 function blocks allowing the easy integration and interoperability of its components. The system was successfully tested and represents a novel approach in developing flexible, efficient and reliable applications.