Glossary · Distributed automation and IEC 61499
Device configuration
Also known as: Device configuration (IEC 61499)
German: Gerätekonfiguration
In IEC 61499, a device configuration is the specification of a device within a system configuration: its device type, parameters such as network addresses, and the resources it contains with their mapped function block instances.
- IEC 61499
- Standards
In one sentence
An IEC 61499 device configuration specifies a device's type, parameters and resources, including the function blocks mapped to them.
Example
The device configuration of the filling station controller sets its IP address and contains two resources, one for control logic and one for HMI communication.
How it applies
- Engineering: In the system configuration, each physical controller or edge device appears as a device with a type and parameters. The engineering tool uses this information to deploy the mapped function blocks to the right device.
- Commissioning: Addresses and parameters in the device configuration must match the real device. Deployment typically uses Management command sequences sent over the network.
- Change management: The device configuration, together with the application and mapping, defines what runs on the device. It is part of the system's Configuration baseline.
- Documentation: A device list with type, address, resources and assigned applications is the core of the system documentation. Service staff need it to replace a device and redeploy its configuration.
Device configuration vs. device model
The Device model (IEC 61499) describes what a type of device consists of in general. The device configuration describes one concrete device instance in a specific system.