The data connection

Configuring a data connection

You can use four types of connections:

• Databus

  The Databus is a distributed application that runs on individual Industrial Edge-devices and facilitates access to the data of the field devices. If required, you can configure your own data points. You can find more information in the operating manual of the Databus Configurator. The Industrial Edge Runtime sends the data from the field devices to the Databus. AI Inference Server connects directly to Databus and uses the following two data types as payload for the data communication:

  • String (incl. pure json)

    This connector can be used as data source and data destination.

  • SIMATIC v1 (S7, S7+, OPC-UA)

    This payload type is commonly used in various data connector applications such as SIMATIC S7 Connector, SIMATIC S7+ Connector, OPC-UA Connector, etc. The SIMATIC S7 Connector connects your Industrial Edge device to a SIMATIC S7 Protocol (300/400/1200/1500) controller, SIMATIC S7-1200/1500 controller or OPC UA (1200/1500) server. You can configure these connections with the SIMATIC S7 Connector Configurator.

    This connector can be used as data source and data destination.

• External Databus

  You can use the External Databus to connect remote clients to the Industrial Edge device via MQTT. The data transmitted to the External Databus is automatically transferred to the data bus and can be used by other apps within the data bus. AI Inference Server connects directly to the External Databus and uses the data type "String" as payload for the data communication. This connector can be used as a data source as well as a data destination.

• IE Vision Connector

  IE Vision Connector connects to every "Generic Interface for CAMeras" that supports image processing systems and makes available image or video data over the standard data bus or a high-throughput data bus. The IE Vision Connector has a user interface that offers options for configuring camera-specific parameters according to the "GEN<I>CAM" standard. It forms the image frame/live stream for the user to view. AI Inference Server connects itself either via Databus to Vision Connector and uses the type "String" or via ZMQ and uses multi-part message as payload for the data communication. This connector can only be used as a data source.

• Zero Message Queue

  The ZMQ Connector enables high-performance data sending/receiving via ZMQ sockets using the Publisher/Subscriber communication pattern. You can choose from the following three payload formats:

  • Internal multi-part message (Topic, meta data, binary)

    AI Inference Server works as a Publisher and connects to the socket, the external component should behave as a Subscriber and binds to the socket. AI Inference Server sends multi-part messages: Topic, meta data, binary data. It can send multiple topics in a message.

    The topic is given at variable mapping, the Meta data is arbitrary Text/String.

    The ZMQ Connector can be used as data destination only.

  • Internal multi-part message (Topic, binary data)

    During data receiving, AI Inference Server works as a Subscriber and connects to the socket, the external component should behave as a Publisher and binds to the socket.

    AI Inference Server receives multi-part messages: Topic, binary data.

    During the sending process, AI Inference Server acts as Publisher and sets up a connection to the socket; the external component has to act as Subscriber and connect to the socket.

    AI Inference Server sends multi-part messages: Topic, binary data.

    Depending on the payload selection, metadata can also be a part of the message.

    The topic is determined at the time of variable mapping both for the pipeline input as well as for the pipeline output.

    The ZMQ Connector can be used as a data source as well as a data destination.

  • Vision payload format

    ZMQ Connector allows high performance data receiving based on the standardized Image Connector payload format of Siemens Industrial AI. AI Inference Server connects to all camera applications that implement the Image Connector application interface and uses the "ImageSet" data type as payload for the data communication. Connectors with this payload type can only be used as a data source.

To configure a new data connection, proceed as follows:

Click "Configure new" ②. A pop-up window is displayed.

1. Enter the connection name ①.

   The connection name must be unique. The number of connections is not limited.

2. Select the connector type ②.

3. Select the payload format ③.

4. The port number ④ is set automatically, with the exception of ZMQ connectors. The ports and the host for the ZMQ connection should be defined by the user.

5. Enter your user name ⑤ and password ⑥. Zero Message Queue connectors do not need any login information.

6. Click "Create" ⑦. A new data connection is added to the list.