Application specific vs. standard Web service interfaces for the vertical integration of fieldbus systems

The paper compares two approaches for developing Web service interfaces for the vertical integration of TTP/A fieldbus systems. High-level abstractions are provided by application specific interfaces, generated from metadata describing fieldbus systems. In contrast standardised interfaces such as OPC XML DA only allow lower levels of abstractions. But these enable accessing the fieldbus system from a broad range of standard clients, while high-level abstractions reflecting the application programmer's view on the system facilitate the development of more specific clients and workflows.