Components of ORiN ｜ ORiN Consortium

Introduction

ORiN provides an interface to access robots and other FA devices, involving an interface for client applications and an interface for devices. With this technology, application vendors can develop client applications without dependence on FA devices, while FA device manufacturers can disclose the functions of devices without dependence on client applications.

Outline of ORiN2

The ORiN project launched in 1999. ORiN version 1 was released in 2002 and has been used in a variety of FA applications. A new standard, based on technology cultivated through the development of FA applications, was released as ORiN version 2 (ORiN2) in 2005.
The conceptual diagram of ORiN2 is presented below. As standard middleware, ORiN2 provides PC application software with integrated access to various FA devices, with no need to adapt them to manufacturer-specific access methods to control devices. The engine component has the same functions as a standard program interface and provides an application development environment with no need to consider differences between devices. The provider component has a communications interface to connect various FA devices with PCs, and absorbs differences between communications specifications, which differ between machines, to offer integrated access to high-level applications.
ORiN2 consists of the three basic technologies, CAO, CAP and CRD. CAO is a standard program interface that provides a common interface and function to client applications and devices. CAP is an Internet communications protocol for access to devices on the Internet. CRD is a standard data schema that defines the format for expressing resource information in devices without dependence on manufacturers.

ORiN technology comparison

	ORiN 1	ORiN 2
Year of release	2002	2005
OS	Windows	Windows, Linux, etc. (CORBA specifications are OS independent.)
Language	Application part: Visual Basic, C++, etc. Engine and provider parts: C++	Application part: Visual Basic, C++, VB.NET, C#, Java, VBScript Engine and provider parts: C++ (CORBA specifications are language independent. However, in reality, Visual Basic and other languages cannot be used because only the bound languages can be used.)
Communications	DCOM, web service (RAP)	DCOM, CORBA, web service (CAP), HTTP (e-CAP), UPnP
Target devices	Controllers with relatively high functionality (PLC, robot controller, NC, etc.) only	Controllers ranging from those with relatively high functionality (PLC, robot controller, NC, etc.) to single-function ones (DA/AD conversion board, DIO board, etc.)
Target sectors	Secondary industry with a focus on factory automation	All industries
Device profile	XML schema (RRD)	XML schema (CRD), UPnP Device Description
Framework	The abstract controller is defined and operated with applications. Providers fill gaps between the abstract controller and the actual controller.	Same as in the left column
Interface	The interface for applications and the interface for devices are specified	Same as in the left column<
Support for module development	ORiN1 SDK includes samples, documents, simple test tools, etc. With “Provider Wizard,” C++ skeleton programs for providers can be generated automatically	ORiN2 SDK includes samples, documents, integrated test tools, etc. With “Provider Wizard,” C++ skeleton programs for providers can be generated automatically
Configuration services	Security setting with RaoConfig, etc.	Security setting, language locale setting, etc. with CaoConfig. Module configuration, software wiring, data type conversion, etc. with CaoSQLConfig
Support for application development	Commercially available development environments (Visual Studio, VS.NET, Eclipse, etc.) can be used.	In addition to the capability identified on the left, simple programs can be developed with “CAO Script Language Editor,” which is included in ORiN2 SDK.