Description
Remote monitoring, Alarms and Events form the foundation of any basic automation functionality. If no information is available regarding the current values of function states, operation modes, process variables, set-points, parameters, etc. it is not possible to make decisions and take action. For selected values, such as Sensor or process values, the optional provision of time-series history services is recommended.
Remote monitoring entails the capability to measure a physical/chemical/biological property. It comprises of a “raw” measurement value provided by the sensing element, a calibration function, optional signal processing/filtering and the final Sensor value which represents a real-world physical/chemical/biological property.
The remote monitoring of a property may be augmented by Alarm and Notification functionalities which update the user regarding the monitored property value matching determined conditions (e.g., out of limits).
History services are supported to retrieve historic information on the observed properties.
Addressed in Sections: 7.1
Description
Function-based remote control enables a user to remotely perform an action, change parameters or setpoints, or start and stop Functions. It includes the remote invocation of Methods to perform Functions on a Device. For example, to start or stop device-specific Functions, open and close covers, as well as change parameters like Alarm limits, control and calibration values, or closed-loop control set-point values.
Addressed in Sections: 7.4, 7.6, 7.4.2
Description
Program-based remote control covers the orchestration of one or more instruments along a lab or analytical workflow. It enables a supervising system (e.g., LIMS) to manage and execute programs on a Device as part of a greater workflow.
Furthermore, it covers the capability to retrieve the Program Templates on the Device, select a program to be executed, start a program run and monitor the program’s progress.
The combined program-management and result-management use-cases are the basis for orchestration of several instruments along workflows.
Addressed in Section: 7.1.10
Description
A Device performing a specific Function may generate results. These results are typically consumed by one or more applications which may not run on the Device itself.
The generating Device exposes the results such that they can be retrieved by the application via OPC UA. The results data include the results themselves, but also metadata such as results templates, user information, timestamps, action identifiers, and sample Ids.
A Device can also provide the capability to observe intermediate/partial results, such that an application can monitor the execution of a Function on the Device.
There may be specific cases in which a consuming application may need to retrieve the results via an alternative interface. In these cases, the Device exposes the URI where the results reside and can be accessed via authenticated access. The possibility to retrieve intermediate/partial results via an alternative interface is outside the scope of this specification.