Konstantinos J. Charatsis

Architecture for Web-based services integration

Industrial applications and systems still lack in adopting the Web Services architecture. Legacy systems, either OPC-based or proprietary ones, compose a huge source of data, which can be migrated and integrated into enterprise-level information systems. Within the context of prevailing and emerging technologies, such as HTTP, XML, SOAP, OPC and Web-enabled application servers, we propose an architecture that allows for the integration of existing stand-alone industrial automation systems into Web-based distributed environments, forming the base for the provision of large-scale e-services by a multitude of service providers to industrial-type clients.

Home / Building Automation Environment Architecture Enabling Interoperability, Flexibility and Reusability

The home / building automation environment is characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity with a large number of systems that need to interoperate, comprising different devices provided by various vendors. A need for greater integration, flexibility and interoperability is increasingly expressed. The current paper presents an architecture that utilizes three predominant state-of-the-art technologies, namely workflows, ontologies and web services in order to address the above need in an efficient way. I. INTRODUCTION Modern design in Building and Home automation has revolutionized the home environment, introducing a plethora of smart appliances as well as various network technologies, mandating an increase in the level of flexibility and interoperability. A great number of systems and applications exist with reference to this technological area, covering the whole range of the home - building automation system hierarchical model. This model comprises three different levers: the automation layer, the control layer and the service provision layer. The model that is described in this paper applies both to home automation and building automation applications; thus henceforward a reference to anyone of them is valid for both of them. The model is depicted in figure 1. The automation layer comprises the building automation equipment, such as sensors, actuators, smart devices and modules, controllers (PLCs) and network controllers. Automation level devices provide device relevant application code, that handles the required preprocessing, supporting the lower layer code for integrated systems addressing the provision of building and home services related to BMS, safety, security and disease management processes. The flow of information between automation level devices is usually characterized by time constraints, thus mandating the utilization of special communication protocols such as Lonworks, EIB, WorldFIP. The control layer includes devices that play the role of the control point of the home systems, wherein reside applications that are traditionally characterized as control automation applications. Control layer devices need to interconnect both with the indoor individual networks of the automation layer, as well as provide the necessary entry point through the internet to the upper layer for the provision of services to the home / building environment by third party Service Providers. The upper layer of our model refers to the various services offered by independent Service Providers that a building automation system can be a client of. A service can be offered either for free or be billed to its clients / users. Each user can be simultaneously a client of various services, while each service provider may have a bundle of services provided to each client. Internet plays a significant role in the overall communications for the enforcement of the presented model. The ubiquity of the internet has led to the emergence of standards that allow the creation of a unifying infrastructure that makes possible the integration of the different systems at whatever layer they may reside in. Nevertheless a conceptual dividing line exists between applications at the lower and the higher levels. The work presented in this paper is associated with a view of the home environment that mandates the integration and interoperability of all the systems / applications that participate in it, independently of their level. Architectural elements of this approach are presented describing home automation integrated services as processes by means of workflows, utilizing the state-of-the-art technology of Web Services in order to open up building automation systems and make available their functionalities. Our approach introduces innovation in the home environment through the incorporation of semantic information related with the home automation process, described in ontologies, increasing the overall degree of

Web gateway: a platform for industry services over Internet

This paper presents a novel approach for the integration of industrial applications over LANs, WANs and the Internet, based on emerging proven and robust technologies. Industrial applications are traditionally viewed with reference to a four layer hierarchical model. Fieldbus control networks are used in order to interconnect field and control devices at the two lower layers of the industrial communication hierarchy. The OPC technology is utilized in order to provide a universal I/O driver/interface for heterogeneous control networks. Different OPC objects deal with real time data (OPC DA), historical data (HDA) as well as Alarms and Events. DCOM presents the middleware connectivity software for the seamless integration of applications locally over the LAN. Due to the DCOM lack in firewall friendliness, the authors propose the use of pure HTTP and the development of a special entity, the Web Gateway, that presents a single point of entry for all different users, e.g. service providers, for the provision of integrated services in a uniform way. This gateway takes into account user profiles and utilizes a dynamic parser for the generation of dynamic html according to user rights. The presented architecture has been the core of a pilot implementation.

Seamless integration of distributed real time monitoring and control applications utilising emerging technologies

The seamless integration of distributed real time applications is mandatory for such demanding environments as the industrial environment or building management systems. Several technologies presenting different degrees of maturity have been developed to support this goal. The paper presents work done at the Industrial Systems Institute, which resulted in the definition of a system architecture utilising different emerging technologies, and its pilot implementation.

Integrated system for smart transport services

Integrated supply chain management presents an advanced inter-enterprise integration business model, seamlessly integrating different involved enterprises ranging from manufacturing industries to retailers and comprising third party logistics and the transport sector. Offering smart transport services addressing safety and security contributes significantly to the transport sector sustainability and enhances the overall inter-enterprise integration scheme. This paper presents an integrated system for the provision of such services utilizing standard open technologies, and comprising a central information system and specially designed embedded systems making trucks / containers “smarter”. The system has been validated in the framework of a web-enabled safety / security alarm monitoring application.

A model for the extension of IEC 62264 down to the shop floor layer

Interoperability in the industrial environment is of significant importance, since it is related to the successful interoperation of systems and applications of great heterogeneity and complexity. Their seamless integration would lead to a manufacturing enterprise model with a higher degree of flexibility and independence from the industrial enterprise systems and applications. This paper addresses enterprise interoperability proposing an extension of the IEC 62264 standard down to the Shop Floor layer through appropriate dominant lower layer standards.

Integrated real-time system for perishable freight transport management

The safety in the transport sector is an indicator for sustainability. Given its importance for the overall economic development and the malfunctions caused due to a possible drawback in the transport sector development different systems cater for the advancement of safety during transport. Safety is quite critical with reference to perishable goods transport. This paper proposes an integrated real-time system for perishable freight transport management. This system utilizes standard open technologies in order to enhance safety of freight transport while providing an integrated solution matching the needs of classical fleet management systems.

Aquaculture production quality certification model utilizing web semantics and wireless technologies

Industrialized production and IT have being severely penetrating in food industry sector since the first industrial era. Hence, production has followed automation enhancements throughout the years, becoming more efficient, closer connected and interacting to higher manufacturing levels, and advanced both in quantity and quality. This paper introduces an integrated system applying to the aquaculture sector, trying to incorporate technology in the lowest level of the fisheries production. Sensors, communication and information technologies are the building blocks of our infrastructure, whilst semantics and Web Services target in developing a model for the qualitative certification of aquaculture fisheries production.

Semantically-enabled inter-enterprise integration in the tourist sector

Tourism presents quite an important industry that needs to evolve so that it confronts with the changes occurring on a global scale. In order for this to be possible a different approach should be followed regarding the provision of an integrated tourist product combining all the different characteristics of a tourist destination. Clustering of both tourist enterprises and other local enterprises affecting the overall tourist product could play an important role towards this direction. This paper presents such an approach leading to inter-enterprise integration through suitable semantics.

E-Service Provision Platform Using Ontologies

The home/building environment is characterized by great heterogeneity that is related to the existing devices/systems. Service provision to the home environment is a new trend making it possible for service providers to provide a plethora of electronically available services. The ubiquity of the Internet has made this trend more feasible than ever. We present relevant work making it possible to provide e-services following an integrating approach and using state-of-the-art dominant technologies such as Web services and ontologies