4. HMS/FB Architecture and its Implementation

Properly architected holonic systems can enhance the ability of each set of players in the industrial automation and control market to deliver added value by encapsulating, reusing and deploying their specialized intellectual property at succeedingly higher levels of integration. Such an architecture expands on the HMS concept of cooperation domains to include both low-level control (LLC) and high-level control (HLC) domains. LLC refers to normal, non-holonic control and automation functions, while HLC refers to the integration of these functions into holons through the use of software agent technology. Function blocks, as defined in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61499 series of standards, can be used for encapsulation, reuse, distribution and integration of both LLC and HLC functions, while HLC functionality can be standardized as defined by the Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA).