Using Dynamic Interface Function Block in IEC 61499-based Industrial Edge Applications

Industrial automation systems are under revolution. A new reference architecture for Industrial Internet based on industrial cloud and edge computing is replacing the ISA-95 pyramid. With combined operation technology, information technology and communication technology, a system-level modeling language is required for creating industrial edge applications. The IEC 61499 standard is a suitable solution as different features could be encapsulated in function blocks with standardized interfaces. These function blocks act as services that can be orchestrated into various orders to meet continuously changing requirements. However, with different domain requirements, a huge set of function block types including algorithms and communication protocols must be maintained. In this paper, a dynamic interface function block is proposed to reduce the number of function block types that need to be maintained by hiding unused events and variables. Typical examples of communication on edge devices are used to show the reduced design complexities of function block networks.